Health and Well Being

BWDA implements the BWDA Health and Well Being program in line with UN’s third goal “Good Health and Well Being”. BWDA implements various sensitization initiatives, diagnostic drives, and facilitates access to treatment.

AXHYA TB Project

BWDA implements the AXSHYA project in association with REACH to create a tuberculosis-free society. The main goal of this project is to promote the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) to the general public through awareness, community-level programs & providing DOTS referrals to TB patients.  The project started in June 2012 with the objective of making Villupuram a TB-free district. Later the project was rolled out to Cuddalore and Kancheepuram districts. BWDA currently implements this project in five blocks of Villupuram, two blocks in Cuddalore, and six blocks in Kancheepuram. The project focuses on community-based care for TB patients, training health care workers and volunteers to provide DOTS, generating awareness and educating the community on prevention and treatment of TB, advocacy and community mobilization for implementing DOTS, supporting TB patients and their families through referral & linkages, counseling and non-discriminatory practices. BWDA acts as a DOTS provider and also organizes programs with different stakeholders (GKS/CTY program & Special day covering the Vulnerable & Marginalized) and supports district-level TB forum /RHCP/CBOs and ICTC & DMC review. BWDA inaugurated two DOTS centers in Villupuram and Koliyanur branches where the TB patients can avail DOTS tablets. The International Union against Tuberculosis visited BWDA in the month of 2013 to study the TB project. BWDA received ‘Best NGO AWARD’ twice for field-level support with RNTCP during the period of 2013 & 2017 for the services rendered.  The following programs were conducted from April 2016 to March 2017 and 24642 people benefited.

BWDA – TNVHA Health Network

To achieve its mission of holistic health empowerment, BWDA collaborated with health networking NGO, TNVHA in 1992. Since then, BWDA has been implementing many health programmes, with TNVHA health network. BWDA is the District Resource Centre (DRC) and Convener for District Co-ordination Committee (DCC) for Villupuram district. As the DRC and the DCC BWDA facilitates the health programmes of 26 TNVHA network NGOs in Villupuram District. BWDA also promotes the capacities of the 26 member NGOs, disseminating the health messages of TNVHA to these member NGOs in Villupuram district and is motivating and enabling them to implement health programmes successfully in Villupuram district.

From 1992 to 2006, BWDA implemented HIV /AIDS prevention, ISM, RCH, Anaemia, TB and Leprosy Awareness & prevention, NIP program, etc. During 2007-08, BWDA implemented and monitored Disaster management, HIV /AIDS Prevention, Care & Support for PLHA, trans genders, widows, disabled, etc., and HIV Mainstreaming programs organized by the 5 NGOs, viz. ARM, CSI Community center, Muttathur, Danish Mission, and the WEAL, SEEDS, in the Villupuram district, under the TNVHA / CA Tsunami project. Under the TNVHA / CA / Appeal Fund project, BWDA implemented and monitored the HIV Mainstreaming, Social Exclusion, and Vulnerability programs. Under these programs, training was conducted to NGO staff and the CBO leaders and more than 6,000 persons (NGO staff and the CBO leaders) benefitted. Some of the other activities in this project include awareness programs like Red Ribbon Express, conventions, Adhi-Dravida girls basic health training program, etc., integrated child development services, and ambulance & mortuary van services.

PLHIV Initiative – Care & Support for Persons Living with HIV / AIDS

BWDA takes special interest in supporting the PLHAs for social and health empowerment. In November 2007, with the support of TNVHA, BWDA organized a PLHA Convention along with the Cuddalore and Puducherry DRCs and resolutions were passed and demands were made to the Govt. to provide social security measures like medical, maintenance and livelihood support services to 29 PLHAs. BWDA also distributed Rs.25,000 (Rs.1000 each) to 25 PLHIVs in March 2008 as a medical relief fund. In January 2008, BWDA distributed groceries and dress materials to 108 PLHAs and eunuchs, valued at Rs.91,800 (Rs.850 each) through as a Pongal gift. More than 169 PLHAs are supported through BWDA & TNVHA funds.

Health Camp Initiative

BWDA conducts many free eye & retina protection camps in adopted districts till.  Whenever BWDA arranges SHG programmes, BWDA arranges for health camps.  In addition to our SHG members, our staff, their relatives and other poor people benefit through these camps. In the year 2018-19, 28 camps were held and 422 members benefitted. The programme was implemented in in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry UT.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD)

BWDA has organized TOT on NCD to the leaders of NGOs with TNVHA in 6 places of Tamil Nadu. Around 250 NGO leaders and staff attended the TOT programme.

BWDA Family Counselling Centre  

BWDA has been running a Family Counselling Centre at Villupuram since 2001, with the support of Tamil Nadu State Social Welfare Board to solve the family orientated problems of its SHGs and other affected members.

Many separated spouses were united and disorganized families were made organized and cohesive. Till 31st March 2018, 4,258 petitions were received; cases registered and majority of the problems were solved amicably through proper family counselling techniques. The problems like family feuds, marital mal- adjustments, domestic and dowry atrocities against women, etc..

Regular awareness meetings are conducted for SHG members on family counselling, women rights and protection, general health, socio-economic and educational empowerment, child protection, legal awareness etc, during the BLCC meetings.

Every Wednesday, the centre offers counselling services for the needy poor women in the Collectorate.

Regular weekly visits are made to BWDA Arts & Science College, BWDA Schools Villupuram district, and other schools and colleges in the Villupuram Town for counseling students with psychological / mal-adjustment problems. 1500 students benefited through this initiative.