Publications

One of the core strategies of the organisation is to disseminate information through databases and relevant publications. The finding of the research conducted by CEHAT should reach out to people’s movement, policy makers and also for policy implementation. The publications are outcome of CEHAT's own research projects which have focused on relevant research and has endeavoured to inform campaigns around social issues. They are in the form of books, research reports, manuals, posters and resource materials. Read More....

2011

82. Kurian, Oommen C.; Wagle, Suchitra and Raymus, Prashant. Mapping the flow of user fees in a public hospital. Mumbai: CEHAT, 82 p., 2011 [ISBN : 978-81-89042-58-5]

The Maharashtra state government introduced user fees in hospitals in the nineteen eighties, and the scope and scale has been steadily increasing. In 2001, there was a substantial increase in the average user fee paid per patient at government facilities in Maharashtra). Recently, there have been proposals to increase substantially the fees charged for medical services at civic hospitals in Mumbai and also a decision to hike user fees across the state. This study was aimed at mapping the flow of user fees in a public hospital located in Mumbai. It also aimed to understand the provider's role in the process of giving waivers from user fees to the patients, and also, reimbursement of fees from Poor Box Funds to the 'needy'... Download full report

81. Contractor, Sana... [et al]. Responding to sexual assault: A study of practices of health professionals in a public hospital. Mumbai: CEHAT and New Delhi: SAMA, 58 p., 2011 [ISBN: 978-81-89042-57-8]

The study showed that there are several gaps in both the medico-legal as well as therapeutic response of the hospital to sexual assault survivors. As far as the medico-legal role of health providers is concerned, we find that there are no uniform protocols for seeking consent, history, conducting examinations or for evidence collection and hence there is a lot of variation between the practice of various doctors. There is no protocol for how, from whom and for what consent needs to be sought and coercion was evident in certain types of cases. Doctors also articulate the lack of skills vis-ŕ-vis seeking history from children and building rapport with survivors which serves as a barrier to eliciting thorough history. The study also suggests that health care providers, in cases of sexual assault, perceive their role to be largely medico-legal rather than therapeutic... Download full report

80. Pradhan, Anagha and Shaikh, Tayyaba. Living on the Margins: Prawn Harvesters from Little Rann of Kutch (An Exploratory Study of Health Status). Gujarat: Anandi and Mumbai: CEHAT, 114 p., 2011 [ISBN: 978-81-89042-56-1].

Prawn harvesters from the Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, largely members of the Miyana community, are seasonal migrants from along the coastal areas of Gujarat, who engage in monsoon fishery. Unlike the salt pan workers with whom they share the geographical area, the prawn harvesters remain to be a relatively poorly documented group.

The prawn harvester community's marginalisation was first noticed in 2001 when the local NGOs reached out to offer relief after the earthquake that shook Gujarat. Total absence of basic amenities and apathetic attitude of the public sector was apparent. Subsequent explorations in 2009 by ANANDI revealed very high morbidity especially among neonates and infants. However health needs of the population remained unexplored.

The present exploratory study conducted by CEHAT in collaboration with ANANDI which has a strong presence among the prawn harvesters; is an attempt to document the socio-economic and health condition of the prawn harvesters at temporary settlements along the coast... Download full report

79. Dantas, Anandi. Mapping of Urban Health Facilities in Maharashtra. Mumbai: CEHAT, 74 p., 2011 [ISBN: 978-81-89042-55-4]

The present study examined the spatial growth of public and registered private health facilities in selected cities of Maharashtra. The mapping method used in the study has been really useful in highlighting the availability of private/public facilities in these cities. We found clusters of private hospitals in the city centres, with the urban poor completely excluded. The study highlights an urgent need for a norm for location / distribution of private hospitals within the city to facilitate a more equitable distribution of health services... Download full report

78. Bhate-Deosthali, Padma and Khatri, Ritu. Healthcare in the Private Sector: A Study of Private Hospitals in Maharashtra. Mumbai: CEHAT, xv,136 p., 2011 [ISBN: 978-81-89042-54-7]

The study was conducted across 261 private hospitals from 10 districts of the state, Nashik, Nandurbar, Pune, Satara, Thane, Ratnagiri, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Amravati and Gadchiroli. Greater Mumbai was included for its unique features of complete urbanization, rapid expansion of the private medical sector, the huge population base with a high standard of living and very high real estate prices. The sample included 45 hospitals from Mumbai, 185 from developed districts and 31 from less developed districts. Download full report...

Working Paper

Feminist Response to Attempted Suicide: A Model for Public Health Intervention by Padma Deosthali and Sangeeta Rege

Domestic violence is described as a pattern of continuous or intermittent coercive behaviour and control. It is used to humiliate women and force them to conform/adhere to gender roles. Each episode of abuse results in physical and psychological trauma that usually remains hidden. One of the most common effects of violence is the infliction of self-harm. Domestic violence has been associated with suicidal ideation and has been one of the leading causes of attempted suicides amongst women. Dilaasa , India 's first hospital based crisis centre was established to address Domestic Violence and provide services to women within the hospital itself. This counselling endeavour brought to light that several women admitted for "accidental consumption of poison" had essentially attempted suicide, the underlying reason being Domestic violence. In order to address this issue, the centre evolved a counselling model which was informed by feminist principles that challenged the main stream psychiatric model of labeling women as involved in "deliberate self harm" or indulging in "impulsive behaviour" but rather as a reaction to an extremely unbearable situation. This paper presents the feminist counselling methodology and illustrates it with examples from the counselling practice. Thus it makes a case for including a feminist counselling approach in public hospitals to the issue of attempted suicides in women... Download

Working Paper No. 1

A Comprehensive Health Sector Response to Sexual Assault Does the Delhi High Court Judgment Pave the Way? Co-authors: Jagadeesh N., Padma Deosthali, Sana Contractor, Sangeeta Rege, Seema Malik

This first paper in the CEHAT Working Papers series draws from its collective action research experience over the years in addressing the issue of sexual assault. The Paper presents its reasoned conviction on the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to the issue particularly in the context of the Delhi High Court mandate on the responsibilities of the many agencies involved in dealing with incidents of sexual assault. Even as it underlines the fact that only such an approach can make for a humane and effective response to cases of sexual assault, it makes a case for further research on the modalities of expanding the scope of the judicial mandate... Download

Pitre, Amita and Pandey, Meenu. Response of Health System to sexual Violence, 110p., 2010

This study focuses on the response of the public health system to sexual violence. This exploratory study is done in six health facilities at various levels of the public health system in two districts of Maharashtra, India it describes the procedures followed in the public health system for women and children who have been subject to sexual assault, and analyses them from a gender perspective. It also attempts a comparative analysis of the procedures, the quality of medico-legal examination and health care, organsiation of services, examination facilities, equipment, medical supplies and medicines in these facilities with the prescribed International and National norms... Download Report

पटेल, दिव्या; चौधरी, लेनी (संक) : स्त्रियांच्या माहितीकरिता पत्रक : गर्भापताविषयी सर्वकाही, मुंबई : सेहत, ४ पा., २००९

हे माहिती पत्रक स्त्रियांच्या मनात असलेल्या गर्भापाता विषयीच्या अनेक प्रश्नांना चालना देते. या पत्रकात गर्भपात म्हणजे काय, संबंधित कायदा, परवानगीची गरज, गोपनीयता, सेवा केंद्र, माहिती केंद्र, उपलब्ध पर्याय, सुरक्षितता, अश्या अनेक प्रश्नांची उत्तर आणि योग्य माहिती या पत्रिकेद्वारे मिळते.

पटेल, दिव्या; चौधरी, लेनी आणि म्हात्रे, उज्ज्वला (संक) : वैद्यकीय गर्भपात कायदा : महाराष्ट्रातील सेवा पुरवठादारांकरीता मार्गदर्शिका, मुंबई : सेहत, १९ पा., २००९

ही मार्गदर्शिका महाराष्ट्रातील सेवा पुरवठादारांकरीता तयार करण्यात आलेली आहे. या मार्गदर्शिकेत सर्व वैद्यकीय व आरोग्य सेवा पुरवठादारांना गर्भपात कायद्याची व भारतामध्ये स्त्रियांना सुरक्षित व कायदेशीर गर्भपाताची सेवा मिळण्याकरिता आवश्यक परिस्थितीची माहिती दिलेली आहे.

Rege, Sangeeta. Guidelines for Counselling: Women Facing Violence, 48p., 2008

These guidelines are primarily meant for enhancing skills and attitudes of those dealing with Violence against Women at the hospital setup but would be useful to others too. These guidelines provide a perspective on the issue and also has real life examples. These guidelines are developed from the feminist perspective the counselling would enable the women to understand the cause of violence lies external to them and the root of violence are based in patriarchy... Download Report

Guidelines for Health Professionals in Responding to Domestic Violence

The guidelines describes the health consequences of domestic violence and the role of healthcare providers in address them. These guidelines are developed in english,hindi,marathi and gujrathi. English Guidelines Hindi Guidelines Marathi Guidelines Gujarati Guidelines

Divekar, Rashmi and Naik, Pramila. Chaukat Todun Baghtanna, 24p., 2008

"Chaukat Todun Baghtanna" is a small pictorial booklet developed which gives information on Domestic Violence. It also covers various types of violence and its effect on women's health. It has information on seeking help from public hospital and legal support. This booklet is useful for women who face domestic violence and others those who work on the issue.Download Booklet

Burte, Aruna. Breaking the Culture of silence: Uniting to fight Domestic Violence, 75p., 2008

'Breaking the culture of silence' places Domestic Violence within the context of the feminist movement of 1980s in India. It highlights the democratic and left movements that created space for raising issues related to womens rights. This booklet is intended to capture the process that has enabled women to break the culture of silence that has hitherto surrounded their trauma.