Welcome to NECHA

TRAINING OF STAFF & HEALTH WORKERS OF MEMBER INSTITUTIONS

Introduction

The project on “ Training of the staff and Health workers of member institutions was launched in the 15 dioceses of North East Region on the 1st of June 2010. On the 1st Phase of the Programme NECHA has undertaken 5 Diocese namely Diphu, Dibrugarh, Kohima, Guwahati, Shillong. The programme was implemented with the aim of developing the skills and Knowledge of the Staff and Health workers of Member Institutions, as to improve health care facilities in the Health Centre.

Activities of the programme are given below:-

1. BUILDING AWARENESS

Awareness on T.B., malaria, & HIV/ AIDS was organized in dioceses of Diphu, Dibrugarh, Kohima, Guwahati, and Shillong. Such awareness programmes were conducted in the remote areas where people are not aware of the Communicable and Vector borne Diseases. There were more than one thousand persons who participated in the programme. The rural people were happy to know the causes and the methods of prevention of illness.

2. SEMINARS FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS ON R.T.I

Two days Seminar on Right to Information was organized in Diphu, Dibrugarh, and Kohima, Guwahati, and Shillong dioceses. In the Programme the people were made aware of RTI, its power, and its uses. There were more than 500 persons who attended the Seminar .Most participants were unaware of this new bill. They expressed their happiness of knowing about this new bill.

3. FREE MEDICAL CAMPS

Two medical camps each were organized at Diphu, Dibrugarh, and Kohima, Guwahati, and Shillong dioceses. The common diseases found in the camps were malaria, diarrhea, and dysentery, and fever, lack of nutrition, worm infestation, cold and cough. There were more than 1000 beneficiaries of the camp. Serious cases were referred to the local PHC while other patients were given free medicines.

4. TRAINING PROGRAMME ON T.B.

Three days training programme was held at NECHA from 20th to 22nd Nov 2010. 30 health workers from 5 dioceses participated in the training. The course gave the participants better understanding of how a T.B patient can be identified, and guided to undergo sputum test in the PHC’S and undergo medication free of cost from the Government. The resource persons were, Dr. Girish Singh, National coordinator, CBCI CARD Delhi, Dr. P.K. Adhikari, coordinator CBCI CARD North East, and Dr.Palash Talukdar, WHO Consultant.

5. TRAINING ON MALARIA.

Three days training, held at NECHA from 22nd to 24th Feb. 2011, was attended by 30 health workers of 5 dioceses. The resource persons were Dr. K. Barman, CM&HO (CD),Assam, Dr. P.K. Phukan, M&E Consultant, NVBDCP, Mr. R.N. Talukdar, Asst. DHS (Entomology), NVBDCP, Assam, Dr. K. Khound, SDM&HO.The training gave the participants the Knowledge of how malaria is caused, its symptoms and the need of suitable medication..

6. TRAINING PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS

A training programme on HIV/AIDS, held at NECHA from 25 to 27 Feb 2011, had 30 health workers of Diphu, Kohima, and Shillong, as participants. Dr. S.I. Ahmed and Miss Sophia from AIDS Prevention Society, Guwahati, who explained to the participants about the causes of HIV/AIDS and how it can be prevented.

7. SEMINAR ON HIV/AIDS, T.B. & MALARIA
Three days of Seminar on HIV/AIDS, T.B. & Malaria was organized on 25th- 27th March 2011 at NECHA. The Animators of the training were Dr. G.C Singh, Dr. Swaroop Baruah, Dr. S.N. Goswami & Mrs. Arpana Barman. 35 persons participated in the Seminar from the Dioceses of Diphu, Shillong, Kohima, Guwahati and Dibrugarh. The Seminar was enlightening due to the clear presentation and free discussions about the Topic.

8. INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Integrated Rural Development was targeted on the empowerment of rural women who are 80% illiterate. 10 villages from Tangla Parish under the diocese of Tezpur were chosen for the programme. The various activities adopted for empowering rural women were the following:-
a. 200 men and women of the targeted villages were enrolled in adult education.
b. 300 children of the targeted villages were enrolled in the Baalwadi Schools.
c. Cycles were distributed to the village supervisors.

d. Health camps were conducted for 10 villages and 1500 persons were given free consultation and medicines.

e. Monthly motivation classes, awareness programme on Health, and Education were organized.

f. 15 young persons were trained for IGP in Umran, RRTC and Goalpara Auxilium training centre.

9. TRAINING ON THE USE OF VITAMINS BY BITAMIN ANGELS

Vitamin Angels aims to provide Vitamin A supplements to NGOs in States with demonstrable Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD). This is in answer to the statistics of Government of India provided to the WHO THAT 62% of all preschool age children are Vitamin A deficient. NECHA as an NGO works with Vitamin Angels to supply
Vitamin A together with Albendazole to children between 6-59months of age in the seven states of North East India through the 15 diocesan units and 296 member Institutions. This programme is vigorously implemented in the rural areas of all states from 2014, assisting the government of India launch in 1970 to reach Vitamin A to all children. Vitamin Angels organizes and conducts every year training in NECHA on the best use of Vitamin supplements to children and Multi Vitamins to pregnant and lactating mothers. The units distributed last two years by NECHA amounts to 186,000 units.


Training by Vitamin Angels	Vitamin A to rural children

10. TRAINING ON DISABILITY

NECHA in its attempt to reach out to the remotest villages of 7 states takes up” EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN and integrated community health”, trains leaders, teachers and Health workers on the causes, prevention, and management (rehabilitation) of disability.

11. TRAINING ON SHG FORMATION

SHG are found to be a powerful tool of empowerment. Training and formation of SHG for women in the rural areas, is found to be a powerful medium of building harmony, building awareness of rights especially in the field of education and health for women. NECHA organizes and forms SHGs in the village communities where the women bring drastic changes in the rural communities.

12. TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMME

Empowerment of people, especially rural women, is impossible without literacy. Many villages, the women are still illiterate, since Literacy Mission of the Government, in the rural areas, exists only in papers. Training the rural women to be the teachers of rural women is one of our untiring tasks. Having seen, the change brought about in the thinking of rural women, literacy to rural communities has become NECHA, s priority in the community health.

13. FOMATION OF CHRISTIAN COALITION FOR HEALTH (CCH)

CCH is an umbrella organization that works to bring health for all, by networking between various NGOs doing health ministry, to work together and collaborate to make health for the rural poor, a reality. In our age of competition, health services, has become an industry, while CCH assist to make health services a ministry. To this end NECHA coordinates the health programs of various Christian health providers of the region such as Hospitals, dispensaries and rural
health centers.

14. AWARENESS ON THE FOLLOWING:

NECHA has studied the following topics, to bring health and prevent illness, and provided classes to the rural as well as semi Urban population, as part of realizing our vision. The topics mentioned below are found very important and relevant for the rural population.

a) Fluorisis and clean water
b) Malaria
c) HIV/AIDS
d) TB
e) Food safety
f) Breast and cervical cancer
g) Cure for common diseases
h) Skin cancer
i) Pancreas
j) Vertigo
k) Teeth problems
l) Lung cancer
m) Hair loss
n) Glaucoma
o) Mouth smell
p) Diabetics
q) Mole
r) Joint problems
s) Ear problem
t) Afib
u) Blood
v) Temporomandibular joint syndrome
w) Good effects of Tea
x) Asthma
y) Kidney stone
z) Heart attack
aa) Nutritional Problems
bb) Vitamins
cc) Cholesterol and its importance
dd) Nutritional Problems

NECHA takes up each year, urgent themes, related to community health
of the rural population.

VISION AND MISSION OF NECHA

North Eastern community Health Association (NECHA) is the regional unit Catholic Health Association of India (CHAI). It was founded in August 1986 by Fr. K.C. George along with the active Nurses of Health Care Centres from the Dioceses of Imphal and Dibrugarh. NECHA represents the seven states of North East India and has a membership of 314 Catholic Health Institutions spread over the 15 Dioceses of the region. Its services were rendered through the rural Health Care Centres, run by the Member Institutions (MIs) in remote and inaccessible areas, and medium equipped hospitals. NECHA in collaboration with its member institutions has initiated various developmental programmes in the fields of Leadership building, Advocacy initiatives, Community health, Capacity building, Income Generating activities, Information dissemination and Documentation.

NECHA’s head office was at Imphal, in the beginning. Fr. K.C. George along with the few member Institutions worked hard to organize the health institutions and enable them to provide basic health care to the needy and neglected segment of the society. They formed village health committees and organized health programmes. Later NECHA office was shifted to Shillong for better communication and organization of the programmes for the entire region under the presidency of Fr. K.C. George. The decision to shift the office again from Shillong to Guwahati was taken by the executive Board in 1991. NECHA started its office at Ganeshguri Guwahati in a rented Building. The office of NECHA was shifted to a rented house at Six mile in 1992. NECHA acquired the existing land where the first building was built under the director, Rev.Fr. Kurian Joseph. The office cum training centre of NECHA was inaugurated on 5th December 2002 by Most Rev. Thomas Menamparampil, Arch Bishop of Guwahati in the presence of Rt. Rev Thomas Pulloppillil Bishop of Bongaigaon. With its own Office and training facilities, NECHA could organize programmes and activities involving all the diocesan units of the region. On 12th April 2010 NECHA completed the extension of the building, undertaken by Rev Fr. George Parackal, where a conference hall for 100 persons and accommodation for 30, people are available. NECHA’s present aim and effort is to bring community Health to the rural population of all states in North East Region.

Goal:	NECHA strives to make community health a people’s initiative in the villages of North East India.
Mission:	Empower the poor, the marginalized and the vulnerable to take responsibility for themselves and the society through a process of community health.
Vision:	“NECHA envisages a just and peaceful society where people enjoy life in its fullness.”

PERSONS WHO SERVED NECHA

Presidents



Fr. K.C. George (1985-1996)	Fr. Thomas Meckalath (1996-1999)	Sr. Barbara SCCG (1999-2002)

Sr. Elizabeth Edattukaran FMA (2002-2005)	Sr. Maria BS (2005-2007)	Sr. Martha (SCCG -2007-2010)

Sr. Rose Alex MSMHC (2010-2013)	Sr. Marina Abraham SCC (2013-2020)	Fr. Anil Joseph Vaniyakunnel (2019-)

Directors


Fr. K.C. George (1985-1996)	Fr. Kurian Joseph (1997-2002)	Fr. Lazar Kakkassery (2002-2006)

Fr. George Parachal (2006-2013)	Fr. Paul Thettayil (2013-2019)	Fr. K. C. George (2019-)

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