Indian Health Organisation

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The Indian Health Organisation Pvt. Ltd. (IHO) is the first Indian organization devoted to providing preventative health care to Indian people at prices the general population can afford. A part of Aetna Inc, a leading diversified healthcare benefits company serving more than 35 million customers across the world, Indian Health Organisation's (IHOs) motive is to provide affordable & accessible health service to the people of India. Partnered & collaborated with IDA (Indian Dental Association), both organisations have come together to work towards the cause of promoting Oral health care within India. Indian Health Organisation (IHO) provides certification to high-quality medical practitioners, based on strict empanelment criteria designed by senior members of the medical fraternity, branching out across 23 major cities in India, which consists of 10,000 doctors, dentists, labs/diagnostic centers, hospitals, medical centers on their panel. Good quality healthcare services are one of the most important requirements in India. However, there has been a complete lack of focus on preventive health care in India with less than 2% of the population focusing on it. IHOs aim is to build the biggest network of high quality doctors in India who are easily accessible and are far more affordable to the general population.IHO is a part of Aetna Inc, a leading diversified healthcare benefits company serving more than 35 million customers across the world with information and resources to help them make better informed healthcare decisions.IHO is an organisation formed for the cause of making high quality healthcare more affordable in India.IHO provides certification to high-quality medical practitioners, based on strict empanelment criteria designed by senior members of the medical fraternity. As a first step, IHO has launched Preventive Healthcare Plan a first of its kind benefit in India.
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1 Product offerings 2 IHO Locations & Network Coverage 3 Comprehensive Card 4 Additional Benefits 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

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offerings

The IHO PHC plan brings together a group of the best, individually practicing doctors of all fields under one umbrella. These practitioners offer their services to the PHC members at no fee or a considerably lower fee than they usually charge. This makes high quality medical expenses more affordable & convenient to all members & will help you to live healthier life. Preventive health care plans have been very popular in places like USA and EUROPE ever since their launch more than two decades ago. Benefits available on Indian Health Organisations (IHOs) Preventive Healthcare Plan Membership Membership Benefits Your Indian Health Organisation (IHO) Preventive Healthcare Plan Membership entitles you to a world of health benefits:

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Locations & Network Coverage

Ahmedabad,Bangalore,Chandigarh,Chennai,Delhi NCR,Hyderbad,Jaipur,Kochi,Kolkata,Mumbai,Nagpur,Patna,Pune,Sonepat,Surat,Vadodara[1]

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Card

Comprehensive Benefits We know your illness is to be cured, not the other way around.

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Benefits

Dentists Doctors of virtually all specialisations Pathology labs Radiology labs Pharmacies Nursing Homes/ Hospitals Dial a Doctor Second Opinion

The IHO Team

Dr. Vinay Aggarwal

National President, Indian Medical Association Vice President, Delhi Medical Council Chairman, Pushpanjali Healthcare Formerly Secretary General and Sr. Vice President, IMA Recipient of DR. B. C. ROY NATIONAL AWARD: 2006

Professional Experience & Qualification

Chairman and Managing Director, Pushpanjali Healthcare (running Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital, NABH Accredited - a 400 bedded super-specialty hospital in Vaishali, Ghaziabad on NH-24)

Pushpanjali Medical Centre60 Bedded intermediate care hospital Clinical Diagnostic Centre Pushpanjali Medical Publications M.B.B.S. from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi (1973 batch)

Accomplishments

Vice President, Delhi Medical Council 2009 Secretary General, Indian Medical Association Head Quarters (IMA-HQ), New Delhi since June 2004-2006

Member, National Accreditation Board for Hospital & Healthcare Member of Jury Panel in FICCI Healthcare Excellence Award Sr. Vice President Indian Medical Association 2007 Dean IMA College of General Practitioners 2008 Member, Standing Committee and ESI Corporation since 2005 National Coordinator Physicians Training Initiative on HIV/AIDS by Clinton Foundation, NACO & IMA.

Member Central Supervisory Board (CSB) constituted underthe Pre- conception & Pre- Natal Diagnostic Techniques.

Board of Visitors for Delhi Prison. Member Transplant of Human Organs Act Review committee constituted by the Honble High court of Delhi in 2004.

Member, Working Group of Public Private Partnership, National Rural Health Mission. Member, National Blood Transfusion Council Member, National Disaster Management Authority. Member, Health & Wellness Advisory Council Coca Cola India

Trustee, Indian Alcohol Policy Alliance. Joint Secretary, IMA-HQ from 2000 to 2004 National Secretary, College of General Practitioners IMAHQ from 1996 to 2000 President, Maulana Azad Medical College Old Students Association in 1997 and 1998 President, Delhi Medical Association (State Unit of IMA) in 1993 Convener, IMA Health Media Centre President, IMA East Delhi Branch in 1988-89 Vice President, IMA East Delhi Branch in 1986-87 Hony. Secretary, Delhi Medical Association (State Unit of IMA) from 1978 to 1982 President ESI Medical Officer's Association 1978-80

Community & Socio-Medical Achievements Aao Gaon Chalen a Dream Project As Secretary General of Indian Medical Association (IMA), initiated the project to improve rural health as envisaged in the National Health Policy. Anemia Free India On Doctors Day on 1st July 2005, a National Project - Anemia Free India - was initiated with the aim to create public awareness regarding the ill effects of anemia, to promote better nutrition and romote vitamin, iron and folic acid supplementation. Physicians Training Initiative - Bill Clinton Foundation An ambitious project of sensitizing 1.5 lacs members of IMA in HIV/AIDS and anti-retroviral therapy has been undertaken with NACO and Clinton Foundation. Project is accredited by Medical Council of India launched on 26th May, 2005 by President Bill Clinton himself in Delhi. Iodised Salt Convened a country-wide campaign along with UNICEF, Department of Nutrition and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, explaining the importance of Iodization of Salt. Five regional meetings were organized in various cities on this issue. Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Working on a National Project along with NICD and the World Bank. A workshop of seven states was organized in November 2005 along with representatives of NICD and World Bank in this regard. Family through the Child Family through the Child, a Balwadi oriented health project, was started with the assistance of Delhi

Social Welfare Advisory Board in 1980. A health survey of 2000 children and their families was conducted in this scheme. Proper health facilities were provided to the families of these children of the Balwadis. Also organized a reorientation course for Bal-Sevikas in Delhi Medical Association during the project. Save the Girl Child Campaign The issue of falling sex ratio and female foeticide was effectively highlighted by IMA by various Campaigns during the tenure as President, MAMCOS. No Tobacco Day and Smoking or Health Choice is Yours Launched a massive Anti Tobacco Campaign during the tenure as the secretary of Delhi Medical Association on the WHO Day on 7th April, 1980 on the theme of Smoking or Health - Choice is Yours. Public awareness lectures were organized at various places in Delhi. Author

Awards

Manual of Medical Emergencies a popular book for casualty, medical officers and family physicians Textbook of Family Medicine a ready reckoner for family Physicians Founder Editor, Family Medicine India quarterly Journal of IMA-CGP Editor-in-Chief, Pushpanjali Health News a scientific Newsletter

Dr. B.C ROY National Award for the year 2006 Chikitsa Ratan Award of IMA in the year 2006 Distinguished Service Award of DMA in the year 1989-90 Best Alumnus Award of Maulana Azad Medical College in 1992 Dr. P. N. Bahl Community Service Award by Delhi Medical Association 1994. IMA President's Appreciation Award 2004 Chikitsa Paras Award for the year 2005 by Smt. Suhagwati Khairati Ram Aggarwal Charitable Trust Phagwara. MAMCOS Exemplary Services Award 2005. Man of the Year Award of IMA East Delhi Branch for the year1989 IMA Presidents Appreciation Award for Best President of Local Branch of IMA in 1981 Innumerable appreciation awards and certificates from various medical and social organizations.

Indian Health Organisation's 'Project Saheli' for Sex Workers

A Replicable Model
By Dr. I. S. Gilada With 14 years experience of innovative IEC approaches from streetcorner meets to the World Congress, health care and support services, targeted intervention, NGO networking and training, Indian Health Organisation (IHO) has been described as a torchbearer and watchdog in theAIDS control efforts in India and the Asian continent.

Sustainability of any NGO is crucial and depends on its philosophy, achievements, and wider acceptability and focused approach, for which financial support needs to be guaranteed. Indian Health Organisation, a nonprofit, apolitical and secular NGO with 19 branches in 8 states has whipped up an unparalleled campaign to provide succor and hope to the poor and hapless. {jumi usermod/ads/ads.php}{/jumi} IHO has been spearheading the fight against child prostitution since 1982 and HIV/AIDS ever since it started Indias first AIDS awareness campaign in 1985. Indian Health Organisation is uniquely positioned to understand dynamics of these issues, accurately predict their socioeconomic fallout and intervene effectively. Indian Health Organisation Project Saheli The Saheli Project, a peer education model for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS among the sex workers (SWs), has been internationally acclaimed as the BOMBAY MODEL for HIVprevention at the 9th International AIDS Conference held in Berlin, Germany in June 1993. Initiated in 1991, this project covers 5500 casual sex workers (CSWs) in Bombay and 3500 in Pune.

Objectives
1. To educate casual sex worker (CSWs) on HIV/AIDS and STDs. 2. To systematically distribute condoms to CSWs and ascertain usage. 3. To teach CSWs client negotiation techniques for use of safer sex. 4. To empower CSWs to run the program to make it costeffective and sustainable. 5. To provide health care to SWs, network for referrals, options for free/confidential HIVtesting.

Components
After evaluating various approaches for Condom promotion like social marketing, doortodoor vending, we opted for the "Peer education" model for our work among the SWs. The need for their empowerment, adequately supported by STD/AIDS education is vital. The organization of prostitution is multilayered and the casual sex worker (CSW) is at the lowest end of scale lorded over by brothel managers and brothel owners. {jumi usermod/ads/ads.php}{/jumi} To intervene effectively, we had to influence the entire hierarchy, with a final goal to empower CSWs to change their destiny. We have a threetier system of peer leaders: Saheli (friend) from CSWs for 25 girls, A Tai (sister) from the brothel managers for 10 sahelies, Bai (mother) from the brothel owners for each major area. Saheli: Rs.150/ p.m. for 1 hour daily time. TAI: Rs.700/ p.m. for part time & Rs.1500/ p.m. for full time work. BAI: Being usually an influential & affluent lady from their community, we do not pay nor does she expects monetary compensation.

Activities
The peer leaders are provided training on: techniques of Client Negotiations, STD/HIV prevention through personal interviews, group discussions, lectures & AV and role plays, promotion and distribution of Condoms.

They are assigned the responsibilities of educating sex workers (SWs) about HIV/AIDS, STD, safer sex, Condom distribution, escort sick girls to mobile clinics and different clinics/hospitals. When the project was initiated, the activities met with the usual cynicism, but we were certain that we would finally convince the SWs that her body, her means of livelihood and her life belonged to her. {jumi usermod/ads/ads.php}{/jumi} Apart from incentives, we provide them with PhotoIdentity cards. More than just an incentive, it also served as a badge of pride and provided them respectability. For the first time SWs realized that they could earn money through means. After fully knowing dangers of contracting HIV, they impart knowledge and negotiating skills to other SWs. Apart from educating their peers, Sahelis act in Indian Health Organisations (IHO) streetplays to educate masses, address public meets and even national/international meets and television interviews. Some of them have also been resource persons to conduct training programs for the health care workers and social workers all over India. Thus this illiterate lot has been instrumental in educating even the socalled literate professionals. Saheli Project has changed the lives of those it has touched. The SWs now take pride in them. They feel they own their lives and can impart a new meaning and direction as they have dreamt in the past. Their attitudes and health care seeking behavior have improved significantly. This has reduced their spending for medical care, especially for STDs. Parameter Launching Peer Educators Trained as HCWs Areas covered Sex Workers (no.) Condoms per month IHO, Bombay June 1991 210 60 8 5500 500,000 IHO, Pune June 1991 85 30 6 3500 350,000 Other Centres August 1992* 104 12 1600 100,000

*Miraj/Sangli sites were taken over by Sangram, Kolhapur/Latur sites closed down in 1995 IHO organize social programs like Raksha Bandhan, Bhai Duj, Makar Sankrant for last 16 years and the response is encouraging. Besides the warmth and joy that these festivities provide, relationship of befriending, available help and support is communicated.

Mobile STD Clinic

The assessment revealed that the community needed regular medical checkup and health care. As the premises cost is very high, we could not afford to buy or rent a clinic in the red light area. Hence running a Mobile Clinic was the best option. Besides offering primary health care and serving as a referral point, it essentially attempts to reachout to the community and develop constructive relationship with them. A team comprising of a physician, social workers, health educator and the peer leaders of casual sex worker (CSWs) works on the clinic. It is designed in a way that, it has a physical examination table, seating capacity of ten persons, medicine box etc. We started first service in 1990 and at present we run such services in Mumbai and Pune. Mobile clinic has following activities: educate the SWs about HIV/AIDS, STD, Safer Sex, Condom distribution, Examination of sick SWs and their children and counseling, Transport the staff, sahelies and critically sick SWs for hospitalisation, CSWs visiting in patient for counseling support.

Results
In seven years of its existence, Saheli Project has now gone beyond its initial goal. Several impact evaluations were done by independent agencies including the Ford Foundation and Harvard AIDS Institute. Some evaluations are done as ongoing surveys. STDs have come down by 75%, clients reduced by 56%, abortions have been minimal, Condom usage has gone up from 1200 to 1900%, HIV case doubling rate widened. Sahelies have evolved into educators, Health Care Workers and a force to reckon with as role model for others. With 1991 baseline, no.of SWs and clients, Condom usage rate, HIV prevalence are compared with 1997. SWs No. 1991 HIV+ Clients/day Total clients 5 500,000 Condom usage 25,000(5%) HIV infections/day* 304

100,000 32,000 (32%) 60,000 42,000 (70%) 2,100 (42%)

1997 (total) 1997 (saheli)

180,000

126,000 (60%) 14,250 (95%)

102

5,000

15,000

(*transmission possibility of 0.2% from female to male). 1. Trained Saheli directly or indirectly educates nearly 55,000 (25 x 1100 x 2) people annually, with a simple equation: Saheli monitors 25 SWs. One SW has 3 clients/day, 1100/year, each of them educating at least one. Saheli educates doctors, social scientists and media. 2. There has been 30% reduction in number of Sex Workers ever since 1992. 3. Average daily clients per SW have been reduced from 5 in 1991 to 3 in 1996. Thus effective total daily clients has come down from 500,000 to 210,000 (56% less). 4. Condom usage rate for the sexual encounters has gone up from 5% in 1991 to 70% in 1996 in control group and over 95% in Saheli project group. 5. New infections contributed by SWs has come down from 500/day in 199192 to less than 100/day, despite their HIV prevalence rising from 32% in 1991 to 72% in 1996. 6. STD incidence among young people has declined by 75%. Similarly medical practice of STD consultants is reduced by 7080% based on their STD cases in last 5 years. 7. HIV prevalence among healthy Blood donors is steady at 1.6 to 1.7% and among Pregnant women is steady at 1.2% in last 2 years, in Mumbai. 8. Coverage of one SW under the program costs Rs.100/year (Rs.5 lakh to cover 5500). Condom disposal system started through providing Disposal boxes did not work, as the CSWs used them as buckets (a result of gap between haves and havenots). Recent state effort to introduce legislation on mandatory test of SWs for HIV/STDs and then brand them with indelible ink on their persons if they were found to be infected with it was thwarted due to initiative taken by Saheli Project and other NGOs. Most unions of CSWs that were initiated didnt last longer, due to vested interests and money launderings.

Sustainability
The Inter Aide, France, from 199394 supported The Saheli Project at Mumbai from 199193 by the EEC. Since then it is run on its own. During 199596, the AIDS Cell of Maharashtra had supported the project partially. To meet the unprecedented challenge IHO reduced the project staff and expenses radically. Training and empowerment of SWs has greatly helped the running of the project mainly as a Selfhelp activity.

Replication Saheli Project has emerged as a formidable strength and role model for others in India and its neighboring countries. Several NGOs and Governments have wittingly and unwittingly replicated it in its original or modified formats. If imitation is the best form of flattery, we are flattered. We offer our skills/experiences to those, keen on using them. If replicated elsewhere without any delay, India could be saved from a major disaster in the offing. A. IHO itself replicated Saheli Project in Miraj, Sangli, Kolhapur and Latur in 1993, in Ahmednagar and Srirampur in 1995, in Kota and Jodhpur in 1996. B. Population Services International hired two of the then IHO staffers to launch their intervention project among SWs thro Social Marketing in Mumbai in 1992. C. The WHO studied the IHO initiative and then the Sonagachhi project was launchedd. D. InterAide hired services of Dr.Vijay Thakur, the then Project Director of Project Saheli and launched similar projects among SWs in 199293 in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. E. Sangram was initiated in 1993 for intervention among SWs in Maharashtra and Karnataka by Meena Sheshu, the then Project Manager of Saheli Project in Sangli.

Conclusion
The world has ignored the plight of the sex workers until now. It can no longer do so, because of the threat of HIV/AIDS. Not only has AIDS been contributing to improvement in moral standards everywhere, it has also brought focus on the negative aspect of sexual promiscuity and exploitation of sex workers (SWs). Indian Health Organisation (IHO) was born out of hope and thrives on optimism. Rather than expecting people to educate them, they have demonstrated a reverse trend in HIV education. When the rate of HIV infected people becoming clinically ill escalates and hospital services becomes scarce, Sahelies will emerge a major strength of AIDS care givers, though 95% of them are illiterate. When HIV prevalence in the rest of the country is on steady increase, it has been static in Mumbai for last 2 years, which is mainly due to HIV control among SWs. {jumi usermod/ads/ads.php}{/jumi}

Extension
In India, the journey of HIV from sex workers (SW) to the Infants of housewives is now well established. A country ridden with poverty, illiteracy, double standards and innumerable scandals does have a few activists for the cause of trees, animals and human rights. Ironically, a child in the womb continues to be neglected. Indian Health Organisation (IHO) started to pursue Right to AIDSFree Life for the infants, which is now the talk of all the meets dealing with HIV/AIDS or Women and Children. Of the 27 million children born in India and with 0.5% of women infected with HIV nearly 140,000 children are born as the Orphans in the making and about 45,000 are born with HIV annually. The unborn children of HIV infected mothers question the world, What rights I enjoy when I am born? Can I be HIVFree? Can I be saved from being orphaned?.

Sakhi Saheli
To help SWs give vent to aspirations, a bilingual (Marathi/Hindi) quarterly called SakhiSaheli was started in 1992. The editorial board provides inputs and most of the matter is contributed by SWs. It

voices their concerns, hopes and fears through case studies, news and views, songs, jokes, slogans and programs. Though most are illiterate, the rest do the readings and review to others. It boosted their morale, exhibited their creativity and provided them an identity. It serves as a training manual at other sites where peereducation models have just begun. It is also a resource for mass media and its contents are widely quoted. A popular newspaper ran a column on this newsletter. The condom supply is met with the New Lubricated NIRODH to the tune of 0.8 million a month supplied to Indian Health Organisation free of Cost by Directorate of Health services of the state Govt. Despite severe shortage of condoms during 199293, social Marketing did not work.