Public hearing at DJ Halli on December 12, 2013

Deaths of children due to severe malnutrition and associated medical illnesses in D J Halli have hit the headlines in the past. Will the public hearing bring any hope?

DJ halli in Bangalore has been in the news for several reasons primarily for the deaths of children due to severe malnutrition and associated medical illnesses and complications including disabilities.

The community has met several times over the last few months and identified many problems in DJ halli. These are:

1.   Anganwadis which are inadequate for the population of DJ halli  and ill equipped to meet the needs of the children. Many children are still not enrolled in anganwadis and do not have access to any of the benefits. Children with SAM and cerebral palsy have even more difficulties in access

2.   Many families have had several unsuccessful encounters with the pension department. There are several grievances over the issue of pension cards

3.   The PHC has several problems ranging from lack of staff to financial mismanagement and failure to meet even basic requirements such as treating common illnesses among adults and children or issuing birth certificates. 

4.   Poor co-ordination between different departments which pass responsibility from one to another.

People in DJ Halli are taking the first step to draw attention of not merely government officials and service providers but also representatives of statutory government bodies, mass- based movements and sanghtans to build pressure from various quarters and hold the State accountable for its constitutionally bound duties towards its vulnerable citizens. 

Community members along with activists from various groups are organizing a public hearing in which people will share their struggles and hardships of trying to access basic entitlements related to health care, anganwadi, pension and disability in the pressence of a Jury comprising representatives of Child Rights Commission, Minority Commission, mass-based movements, lawyers, civil and women’s rights activists. Officers from the departments of health, WCD, Disability, Social security and Pensions, Slum Development Board, the ward Councillors and the MLA have been invited to respond to issues from the community and to queries from the Jury.  

We invite you to join us in the Public hearing scheduled on December 12, 2013 between 10.30 am to 2 pm near DJ Halli Maternity Home (Maidan hospital).

Related Articles

Aged 6, weighing 12kg, she dies a quiet death
Two more kids aged 7, weighing 12 kg, found in D J Halli
Doctors visit D J Halli to assess malnutrition

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

A poor health report card for Maharashtra ahead of polls: Jan Arogya Abhiyan

Maharashtra govt scores only 23 on 100 in an analysis on health parameters by Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a group of NGOs and health care professionals.

The past five years have seen public health crises, not only locally but globally. Considering this, it is only fair to expect that budgetary allocations for public health would be made more robust. But an analysis shows that the allocation of funds for public health has dropped, though the number of people seeking medical care from the public healthcare system has increased. Experts have pointed out that the public health budget for 2024-2025 is less than that for 2023-2024. Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a group of NGOs and healthcare professionals has released a health report card assessing the performance of the…

Similar Story

Fostering and caring for sick cats: A comprehensive resource guide

Bangalore Cat Squad volunteers highlight the resources available in Bengaluru for animal rescuers, fosters and cat parents.

In part 1 of this series, our Bangalore Cat Squad (BCS) volunteer wrote about her experience caring for her first rescued kitten, Juno. In the second part, we will guide readers on how to foster cats, and the process of adoption and caring for cats with feline distemper/simian parvovirus (SPV).   Therapists often recommend animal companionship, and many people have asked for our help in this regard. Using expert insights, we have developed methods to assess, assist, and enable adoptions for those grappling with mental health issues. Witnessing lives revitalised and spirits uplifted by the profound affection of a small…