Health Infrastructure

1. By
Pabitra Jyoti MondalPabitra Jyoti Mondal
Assistant Teacher in Geography, Dakshin Bagundi P.L. High School, Basirhat, North 24-
Parganas and Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Geography, University of
Burdwan, West Bengal
E-mail: pabitrajyotim@gmail.com Ph. No.: 9564730140

2. Significance of the StudySignificance of the Study
1. Individual health and hygiene is largely dependent upon —
1. adequate availability of health infrastructure,
2. Bona fides and awareness of the individuals.
2. Inadequacies in health infrastructure and absence of awareness about
health and hygiene seriously affects —
– mental health
– physical health
– fertility and
– working days.
1. Thus ensuring optimum health infrastructure and proper bona fides and
awareness would make safeguarding income of the poor and ultimately
contributing to the national income.

3. 1. Swachh Bharat Mission is not the first health program in India. It was
known as —
• Rural Sanitation Program (1986 to 1999),
• Total Sanitation Campaign (1999 to 2012),
• Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (2012 to 2014) and
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (2014 onwards).
2. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) has two sub-missions. These are SBA
(Rural) and SBA (Urban).
3. Social Audit must be important for the success of the mission. Target of the
mission cannot be achieved by Government functionaries alone; hence
social, religious and cultural organizations should also be roped in
wherever possible.
Background of the StudyBackground of the Study

4. ObjectivesObjectives
1. to examine the natural set up of the study
area,
2. to investigate in detail the growth and
distribution of population of the study area
along with a selected set of demographic
parameters, viz., structure, composition,
literacy, occupational pattern etc.,
3. to find out in detail the nature and conditions
of health infrastructure of the study area,
4. to explore the awareness and bona fides of
the dwellers in the area about their health
and hygiene,
5. to formulate strategies for sustainable
development of the area through health
infrastructure development and proper
guidance to the people about health and
hygiene in relation to their awareness and
bona fides.

5. Methodology and DatabaseMethodology and Database
1. The students of Dakshin Bagundi P.L. High
School students from class VIII to X have
been chosen to collect the primary data.
2. They are the children of the village and live in
different parts of the study area and come
almost from all sections of society and
economy.
3. Therefore, their own household information
collected through specific questionnaire are
certainly representative of the whole village.
4. The methodology is thus very effective to
save time and money. Thus, for data storage,
222 families (which are 5% households of the
entire village) are chosen.
5. Direct Observation, Group Discussion and
Taking Photographs are supporting tools for
primary data collection.
6. Secondary data as of information are obtained
from the Local Panchayat and the Indian
Census Office.

6. Health InfrastructureHealth Infrastructure
HealthHealth
Infrastructure is anInfrastructure is an
important indicatorimportant indicator
to understand theto understand the
healthcare deliveryhealthcare delivery
provisions andprovisions and
mechanisms in anymechanisms in any
region.region.

8. Open DefecationOpen Defecation
Is it habit orIs it habit or
obligation?obligation?
In spite of being a highly
spiritual nation, India
tops the world in open
defecation.
The problem is more
severe in rural areas. As
per Census 2011, only
32.72% of the rural
households have access
to toilets.

9. Rural Health ProgramsRural Health Programs

10. Infra Structura Latin Words Infrastructure
Below A Building
Foundation
The word ‘Infrastructure’ has been used in
English since at last 1927 originally
meaning ‘the installations that form the
basis for any operation or system’.
Nomenclature and Meaning of InfrastructureNomenclature and Meaning of Infrastructure

11.  RoadsRoads
 RailwaysRailways
 AirwaysAirways
 ElectrificationElectrification
 TelecommunicatioTelecommunicatio
nn
 IrrigationIrrigation
 HousingHousing
 GovernmentGovernment
AgenciesAgencies
 Private AgenciesPrivate Agencies
 Public PrivatePublic Private
Partnership (PPP)Partnership (PPP)
 EducationEducation
 HealthHealth
 CommunicationCommunication
 FinanceFinance
 TransportTransport
 Cultivation Inputs &Cultivation Inputs &
HusbandryHusbandry
 Output MarketingOutput Marketing
 Retail ServicesRetail Services
Types of InfrastructureTypes of Infrastructure

12. Classification of Social InfrastructureClassification of Social Infrastructure

13. Health Infrastructure in IndiaHealth Infrastructure in India

14. Sankchura-Bagundi G.P., Basirhat-I Block, NorthSankchura-Bagundi G.P., Basirhat-I Block, North
24-Parganas, West Bengal24-Parganas, West Bengal
1. Sankchura-Bagundi Gram Panchayat
(GP) is located at the eastern edge of
Basirhat-I block in the district of North
24–Parganas of West Bengal.
2. It lies on the west bank of the
Ichhamati River.
3. It extends from 22°28′17″—
22°50′13″N and from 88°46′57″—
89°00′07″E.
4. It is a border village covering an area
of 15.07 sq. km.
5. It is bounded by Basirhat Municipality
and Itinda-Panitar GP in the north;
Taki Municipality in the south;
Nimdaria-Kodalia (Patilachandra) GP
in the west and Ichhamati with
Shreepur of Bangladesh in the east.
6. It has 13 Gram Sansads (GS) and 8
Census Villages.

15. Historical BackgroundHistorical Background
1. The village was in Kushdweep or
Kushdah, an island of ancient
Nawadweep Kingdoms.
2. Before the Naval Battle of
Dhumghat (1609-10), the village
was in Pratapaditya’s kingdom.
3. Historically, Ichhamati River is the
lifeline of the region (‘Ichha’ =
‘Lobster’ and ‘Moti’ = ‘Pearl’). These
2 Prize Items were bountiful till
1926.
4. Sankchura was a large business
center of oyster lime (‘Sankha’ +
‘Churna’ equivalent to Conch Shell’
and ‘Powder’.)
5. It was an important railway station
of Martin Railways (1909-55) and
was pasture of the freedom fighters
of Bangladesh War (1971).
6. The village flourished under the
landlordship of the Ghosh Family.

16. Population of Sankchura-Bagundi G.P., 2011
Name of Village
Dhaltitha
(P)
Bansjhari
Mallikpur
Soladana Hariharpur
Dakshin
Bagundi
Shankchura Kathari Gachharati TOTAL
Population 3047 3447 2870 4477 1506 2548 1302 1450 20647
Area (sq.km.) 5.93 1.31 1.34 2.22 1.06 2.08 0.73 0.40 15.07
Density of Population
(persons / sq.km.)
514.05 2626.29 2136.05 2018.76 1425.87 1226.12 1785.27 3589.11 1370.18
Demographic StatusDemographic Status

22. Awareness about Health and HygieneAwareness about Health and Hygiene

23. Sources of Domestic WaterSources of Domestic Water

24. ConclusionsConclusions
1. Sankchura-Bagundi G.P. is a border village of North 24-Parganas district.
2. Physiographicaly it is a part of quasi-matured delta. Here river Ichhamati is tidal in
nature.
3. According to the census 2011, the total population of the area is 20,647 with a sex
ratio of 941 females / ‘000 males.
4. The average density of population is 1,376 persons / km.
5. About 20% is General Caste, 62% is OBC, 16% is SC and only 2% is ST population.
6. Out of every 5 persons 3 is Muslim and 2 is Hindu.
7. Out of every 10 villagers 9 are Literate and only one is Illiterate. However, after
Secondary Education a huge number of students are dropping out from their studies.
8. Most (77%) of the houses are made of brick.
9. About 26% houses of the village have only one bedroom, 46% houses have only two
bedrooms and the rest have tree or more bedrooms.

25. 11.Only 26% families have no separate kitchen.
12.About 86% of households have personal tube wells.
13.About 3 out of 4 households have no bathrooms.
14.Almost all (96%) households have toilets but only two-thirds of households have
sanitary toilets.
15.Sources of Drinking Water are Deep Tube Wells (48%) and Shallow Tube Wells
(42%).
16. For Washing Cloths, about 48% use Shallow Tube Wells and 33% nearby ponds.
17. For dish washing 74% households use Shallow Tube Wells and 16% roadside water
taps.
18.Maximum water is consumed for bathing, laundering and raining clothes.
19. About 83% of the households use Shallow Tube Wells for toilets, and about 82% for
cleaning and wiping rooms.
20.About 13% of the villagers have no idea regarding cleanliness.
21.About 1 out of 5 villagers have no sense regarding safe drinking water.
22.About 12% villagers do not wash their hand properly before meal.

26. RecommendationsRecommendations
1. A quarter of the households in the village has no separate kitchen. As a
result, the entire family, especially children and women suffer from
respiratory problems. To mitigate this problem, chimney should be
introduced, and fossil fuels should be reduced. Nonconventional energy
like biogas and solar energy can also be used.
2. About 75% of households do not have bathroom. This is a social stigma.
Lack of bathroom indirectly creates skin and gastro-intestinal ailments.
Therefore, this should be essentially included into the programs of the
‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ or ‘Nirmal Bangla Abhiyan’. In addition, they
shouls also be motivated to set up a small covered bathroom with sufficient
water facilities for the womenfolk.
3. There is certainly a lack of adequate bedrooms for sufficient rest, which
may negatively affect their body and mind. To resolve these, programs like
Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) or Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin
(PMAYG) may prove most beneficial for the needy people of the village.
4. Most of the families have their own toilets, but in many cases these are not
sanitary in type. The local Panchayat and voluntary organizations should
play a pioneering role to stimulating the villagers through awareness in this
regards.

27. RecommendationsRecommendations
5. In many cases roadside water taps are either dry or without any key that
often causes continuous wasteful discharge of water. Under the
supervision of the Gram Panchayat, the Jalbandhus (water taps and tube
well mechanics) and voluntary organizations may build proper coordination
to resolve this problem.
6. As for bathing and washing clothes, abundant water is required. Therefore,
it is necessary to restore the village ponds / waterbodies through rainwater
harvesting and keeping them clean. For this purpose, ‘100-Days' Working
Project' may be effective in the interest of the villagers in every aspect.
7. The villagers should be made more aware about the selection of the
sources of water according to the importance of domestic use. They
should be more conscious about the domestic and social hygiene with
cleanliness. To achieve this goal, ‘Nirmal Vidyalaya Saptaha (School
Hygiene Week)’, ‘Hand Wash Day’, ‘Jal Dharo- Jal Bharo’ etc. are the
programs as the extended part of the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ or ‘Nirmal
Bangla Abhiyan’ by which more widespread awareness among the