Ponty Chadha Foundation -Seeking Answers to Some Long-Standing Problems

Despite being one of the largest exporters of pharmaceuticals, India continues to harbor healthcare issues especially among rural communities. With incidences of disease appearing to be twice in rural areas as compared to its urban counterpart, the people of rural India are denied access to basic and apt healthcare.

Waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, typhoid, hepatitis, worm infestations, measles, tuberculosis, whooping cough, pneumonia, respiratory infections, and reproductive tract infections dominate the morbidity patterns in rural areas. Moreover, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, blindness, hypertension, diabetes, HIV/AIDS are simultaneously proliferating at an alarming rate.  Seeking answers to some long-standing problems and realising the need to improve the prevailing health status in rural areas nationwide is Ponty Chadha Foundation, the CSR arm of the Wave Group, which has been making efforts to plug some of the known gaps to rural healthcare. In collaboration with a reputed healthcare service provider, the Indo German Hospital, the Foundation has been bringing the poor and marginalised to the centre of healthcare policies.
 
The Foundation has already covered several villages including—Gujjargarhi, Dinanathpur, Shadipur Chiddoli, Hathipur, Mehrauli, Shekhpur and Khichra, where it conducted health camps to boost the quality of life of its beneficiaries.

Health Camp Observations: 

1. It was found that a majority of the rural populace is faced with common health concerns such as -respiratory issues, cataract, arthritis, low vision issues, and hearing impairment. 
2. A major chunk of womenfolk overlook their reproductive health due to sheer negligence or lack of family support.
3. Majority of them overlook health concerns either due to utter ignorance or lack of healthcare facilities. 

About Ponty Chadha Foundation:

Rural healthcare is one of the key areas of social welfare undertaken by the Ponty Chadha Foundation, the CSR subsidiary of the Wave Group. Under Vice Chairman Manpreet Chadha (Monty Chadha) the Wave group has gone on to become India’s leading realty conglomerates.

Hathipur’s Health Camp Report by the Ponty Chadha Foundation

One third of the Indian population, and most of its poor, resides in remote areas across the nation. Malnourishment and deplorable hygiene conditions give rise to chronic ailments and its ill-effects are disproportionately witnessed in the poorest of rural areas in our society, with an evident rise in illness and mortality rates.

Out of all forms of disparities prevailing in our society, inequality in healthcare is undeniably the most inhuman one. Out of sheer ignorance and lack of dedicated infrastructure, the health centres in rural areas (if any) are minimally staffed and lack even the basic diagnostic equipment.

Identifying the fact that the rural populace is forced to deal with their own share of larger, and often unrecognised, health problems, Ponty Chadha Foundation collaborated with the Indo German Hospital and organised a health camp in one such village- Hathipur. It was found that villagers here had never received due medical assistance in any form. Thus finally, the health camp, organised on 18th March, 2015, benefited most of them. The event took off early in the morning as the villagers started queuing up at 10:00AM by the primary school in the village, where the camp was set up.

The propulsion at the health camp was steady since the early hours of day and as expected, the third consecutive medical camp at Hathipur drew a good assemblage till the camp finally concluded at 1:00PM in the afternoon.

The entire village was comprehensively covered and a total of 155 patients from 400 families were examined during the camp. Every villager was guided through a common check point where they had to show their registration details prior to seeing the doctor. During checkup, it was found that majority of them were prone to joint and gastro problems. Those who needed extended treatment were referred to the Indo German Hospital.

While the dedicated team of doctors ensured that the villagers were thoroughly examined and guided about the imperativeness of health and hygiene, other volunteers ensured that the villagers could make the best of the opportunity. As a result of their collective efforts, the event went by systematically.

It is rather surprising to know that women in the village ignore problems related to gynecology due to lack of knowledge and understanding and support from their family members. However, the medical professionals and the Ponty Chadha Foundation’s volunteerseducated them about the imperativeness of healthcare and the long-term effects that could aggravate due to sheer negligence.

Duriyai’s Health Camp by the Ponty Chadha Foundation

Despite being one of the largest exporters of pharmaceuticals, India’s healthcare statistics continue to be a nightmare. Medical assistance is still out of reach for over 700 million people. Though several government policies and programs are afloat, their true effectiveness is questionable in the dearth of any tangible improvement on the ground level. Apparently, ever-widening gaps on the implementation front continue to make the country’s performance in healthcare domain shoddy, to say the least.

Recent case studies point that the number of Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) is limited; 8-10 % of these centers fail to staff sufficient doctors, around 39% of them still lack laboratory technicians, and 17-18% of them do not even have a pharmacist. 

One such village is Duriyai, which faces a severe lack of healthcare facilities. 

In a bid to sensitize the locals of Duriyai about basic precautions against general ailments, the Ponty Chadha foundation, in collaboration with the Indo German Hospital, organized the third consecutive health camp at Duiryai. Held on the 11th of March, 2015, it started off at 10:00 AM and lasted until 1:00 PM. The sheer enthusiasm and active participation of the villagers was truly commendable- a total of 152 patients from 400 families benefitted from the camp. 

Motto-driven volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation and a team of dedicated doctors from the Indo German Hospital wholeheartedly contributed to the initiative and saw the camp off smoothly. Seating arrangements were made at the Baithak (common meeting point of the villagers) which was spacious enough to accommodate a healthy turnout.   

Majority of attendees had problems pertaining to joint pain and hearing impairment, for which they were immediately treated. However, those who needed extended treatment were duly referred to the Indo German Hospitable for a detailed check-up and follow-up treatment. In an interaction with the residents waiting for their turn to see a doctor, it came out that people often neglect their health problems, especially women who ignored serious troubles pertaining to gynaecology. The camp thus gave the locales a chance to treat persisting ailments, for which they could never seek medical attention before.  

Considering the overall scenario, which might have turned out to be disastrous in long run prospects, doctors and volunteers of Ponty Chadha Foundation sensitized the villagers on the imperativeness of their healthcare. 

About the Foundation 

The Ponty Chadha Foundation is a charitable trust established in the memory of the late Mr. Ponty Chadha of the Wave Group. The Foundation is active in areas of special education and early childcare and currently has Mr. Manpreet Chadha (Monty Chadha) as the Vice Chairman.

Fostering Health Care In Usmangarhi: The Ponty Chadha Foundation

With the objective to make health care more accessible across rural areas nationwide, the Ponty Chadha Foundation has been conducting a series of health camps aimed at helping the poor with free medication and guidance. 

In collaboration with the Indo German Hospital, the Foundation organized its third consecutive health camp in the Village Usmangarhi where a total of 181 patients from 400 families were thoroughly screened for different health disorders.

The camp, held on 25th of February 2015, started at 9.30 in the morning and continued on until 1.00 pm in the afternoon. A sizeable assemblage was seen queuing up from early hours, which was managed together by volunteers of the foundation and hospital. Apart from conducting basic health check-ups, the camp referred cases requiring advanced diagnostics to the Indo German Hospital. 

The event was held at the Pradhan’s place which provided enough space for a healthy turnout. A pre-check process was set in place for the patients to get themselves registered before waiting for the doctors. They were issued OPD cards carrying their name and age which were later on used for prescribing medicines. 

With their OPD cards with them, the patients were handed medicines from a separate counter. Upon interaction with the villagers, it was learnt that lack of awareness and unavailability of medical facilities were major roadblocks preventing the villagers from pursuing timely treatment. 

Finally, in a short educational session and interaction with the Usmangarhi’s residents, they were sensitized on health, hygiene and sanitation which would help them in keeping chronic and acute infections at bay. 

The Ponty Chadha Foundation is a charity foundation, and the CSR wing of the Wave Group. This foundation has been dedicatedly working towards making quality health care affordable and accessible ever since its inception.  

Festivity in the air at Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan’s 16th Annual Day celebration

An aura of mirth and festivity filled the auditorium as the differently abled children of Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan took centre stage with their energetic performances. “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai”, this year’s theme not only was at the heart of entire celebration but it also underlined the guiding principle of the school. The students rolled out exhilarating performances which and a flurry of extended applauses greeted them. 

Presence of the Delhi Waveriders Hockey team, Captain of DWR and Indian hockey team - Sardar Singh, Mr. Kartikay Saini- Chairman of The Scottish High international school, Air Marshal K. Malik- Director Special Olympic-Delhi, Dr. J.P. Singh- Chairman Amity Foundation for Developmental Disabilities and Former Member Secretary & Executive Head-Rehabilitation Council of India, and Mr. Pramod Sharma- Director cum Principal- Genesis Global School added charm to the event. 

After the breath-taking performances, children were spotted sharing some cherishable moments with Sardar Singh and the other team members of DWR. They did not miss a chance to take their autographs and expressed their gratitude by presenting hand-made hampers.     

The celebration did infuse pride in MBCN’s principal, Ms. Vandana Sharma, who praised her students for their strong and positive approach towards life. She congratulated all of them on their hard work and participation in the event and encouraged them to keep the same gusto up in life. Adding on, she asserted that this cultural programme gives them an opportunity to come together and generate significant positive change and build momentum for their ongoing efforts.  

Established in the year 1999, MBCN is a school for differently abled children that has been working for their rehabilitation and social independence under the aegis of The Ponty Chadha Foundation, which is the CSR arm of the wave Group. Ponty Chadha Foundation dedicatedly works towards progression of the impoverished and brassic stratum of society.

Ponty Chadha Foundation Walks the Talk on Rural Healthcare

India has 70% of its population coming from rural sectors and a majority of them don’t have free healthcare access. Consequently, this segment of the country relies majorly on aid coming from the govt., NGOs and charities.

Additionally, India spends only about 4.2% of its GDP on healthcare which strains out its healthcare landscape. It is because of all these reasons that villages like Kuriagarhi are reeling under lack of healthcare avenues.

The village was recently a part of a drive held by Ponty Chadha Foundation aimed at boosting rural healthcare which saw a health camp being hosted within the village providing the villagers with an opportunity to access free health check-up and medication.

Things started off early at 1000 hours as enthused villagers started queuing up at the allocated point where registrations were being held. Volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation along with doctors and paramedics from Indo German Hospital ensured every attendee had their name and age put down on an OPD card to be used for recording diagnosis.

It was found during the examinations that the village showed a high percentage of cases of hypertension and joint pain. Upon interaction with the villagers, it was learnt that most of these cases were the result of lack of medicare options and knowledge about treating early symptoms.
Some of the attendees had to be guided to the Indo German Hospital where they will receive advanced care and diagnostics.

Anticipating a huge gathering, volunteers of the Ponty Chadha Foundation had made arrangements for crowd control and management. A registration kiosk was set up to control the proceedings as the villagers waited out their turns to see the doctors.

A short session on the importance of early diagnosis and treatment was also held where volunteers of the Foundation urged the villagers not to procrastinate medical help.  By 1300 hours, all the attendees had been examined and tended to.

Ponty Chadha Foundation is the CSR wing of one of the biggest business conglomerates in India, the Wave Group. The Foundation is active in areas of special education and early child care and has Mr.Manpreet Chadha (Monty Chadha) as the Vice Chairman.

Mehrauli Health Camp by Ponty Chadha Foundation

Continuing with its ongoing drive aimed at spreading awareness on healthcare, the Ponty Chadha Foundation held a health camp on January 6, 2015 in one of the villages facing lack of healthcare facilities, the village of Mehrauli in Delhi NCR.

The Foundation was aided by the Indo German Hospital which assisted by sending teams of doctors and paramedics to the location. The camp saw people queuing up as early as 10 AM so that they could get themselves enrolled for the check-up.

Anticipating a huge turnout, volunteers of the Ponty Chadha Foundation had made arrangements at the local school premises. As a part of the registration process, the attendees were asked to record their names and age down on an OPD card which was then used by the doctors to record their diagnosis and prescribe medication.

It was found during the examination that there were a number of people with mild symptoms of heart and skin issues who were administered aid and provided medicines. Some of them who needed advanced diagnostics were referred to the Indo German Hospital for further aid.

On interacting with the gathering, it was also learnt by the Foundation’s volunteers that many women had developed signs of impending gynecological problems but would not seek consultation owing to lack of awareness and options. Majorly, most patients showed signs of heart and skin issues.

The free health camp acted as a curtain raiser for the people of the village. It helped them understand the importance of getting treated on time through early diagnosis. Many of the villagers also received free medication.

All in all, the villagers got their fair due from the camp.

Ponty Chadha Foundation is the CSR arm of one of India’s largest business conglomerates, the Wave Group. Under Vice Chairmanship of Mr. Manpreet Chadha (Monty Chadha), the group has expanded its CSR activities into the spheres of special education, food fortification, and rural healthcare.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation: Facilitating Rural Healthcare

With the United Nations report hinting towards chronic lack of medical facilities in rural areas, it is needless to underline that healthcare system in India has never been inclusive. While 75% of the healthcare system, including doctors and infrastructure, is concentrated in urban areas, rural India with almost 716 million people, faces critical health issues. Even though current healthcare infrastructure is centred on metropolitan cities, the irony remains that it is accessible to only those who can afford it.

One of the most critical requirements for an effective healthcare system in rural India is that of doctors. It is a matter of acute importance that rural India faces a shortage of doctors, as much as 64%.

The UN report suggests a shortage of more than 12,300 specialist doctors. Cognitive to this shortage, The Ponty Chadha Foundation (PCF), along with the Indo German Hospital, regularly organizes medical camps in the remote areas of North India and Delhi NCR.

With an aim to empower medical facilities in these areas, the Foundation set up another medical camp in the Village Inayatpur.  The camp which was held on 17^th December started off its proceedings at 1000 hours. While the assemblage started queuing up in the early hours of the day, the Foundation’s’ volunteers were well-prepared to manage them well.  Administering free aid and advice on general health, the camp had a specialized team of doctors from the Indo German Hospital which also looked into critical health conditions.

The camp which was set up in the premises of the Pradhan’s residence had ample space to accommodate the registration process and seating arrangement. Since it was a strong turnout, the volunteers were kept on their toes while facilitating free check-ups.

A total of 141 patients out of 350 families attended the camp, during which they were guided through check points with OPD cards. During the course of the camp, it came out that a majority of the villagers suffered from respiratory and gastro related health problems. The volunteers in conversation with the locals also confirmed that various skin and gynaecological problems were also common in the residents of Inayatpur.

Benefitting from the camp, a large percentage of residents got free medicines from the doctors and others with critical issues were further recommended to the Indo German Hospital.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation, CSR arm of Wave Group, is now a prominent name in social drives, and endeavours towards a healthy India by constantly organizing free health camps in remote areas.

Giving Rural Healthcare a Boost: Ponty Chadha Foundation

India’s growth over the past few years has made it one of the rising economies worldwide. That growth however has not been inclusive, certainly not when it comes to public healthcare. 

While towns and cities have banked on the economic spike and strong healthcare infrastructures have come up, rural India seems alienated from such benefits. There is extreme lack of facilities in some places and professional access is vulnerable. 

The village of Shadipur Chiddoli brings out the real picture of India’s rural healthcare. In a village dominated by population of women and children, there is no regulated medicare facility which has left the villagers indisposed and vulnerable to disorders of joints and skin. 

On learning of the state of affairs in the village, the Ponty Chadha Foundation, which is the CSR arm of the Wave Group, held a health camp on 3rd December, 2014 to spread awareness about common disorders and conduct free medical check-ups with doctors from the Indo German Hospital joining in. 

Anticipating a huge gathering, the premises of a local school were brought into use. An examination and dispensing centre was set up and patients were asked to undergo mandatory registrations which began at 10 AM and continued on until the camp ended at 1 PM. 

During the examinations, it came out that a high number of the villagers showed signs of developing skin, gynecological, and joint issues. On interacting with them, volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation realized that lack of awareness and options were the leading causes for the villagers neglecting evident symptoms.

A session was then held educating the villagers on the advantages of timely treatment and early diagnosis. Some villagers who were found showing developing symptoms were referred to the Indo-German Hospital where they would be administered treatment and advanced diagnostics. 

Rural healthcare is one of the areas of social welfare undertaken by Ponty Chadha Foundation, the CSR subsidiary of the Wave Group. Its outreach spans food fortification and special education. Under Vice Chairman Manpreet Chadha (Monty Chadha) the Wave group has gone on to become one of India’s leading realty conglomerates. 

Transforming Rural Health: Ponty Chadha Foundation

Healthcare is a fundamental right but many in India, especially rural India, do not get to enjoy it. Endogenous and exogenous factors continue to thwart thousands in rural areas from accessing fundamental healthcare.

The village of Shekhpur Khicra is a classic allegory of lack of healthcare facilities and rising cases that seek medical attention. After philanthropic organization Ponty Chadha Foundation overviewed the situation, it discovered medical attention was long overdue and set up a health camp on November 26^th 2014.  

The premises of the village school were drawn upon for hosting the event. Things kicked off early at 10 AM when the attendees started pouring in. Teams of doctors from the Indo German Hospital had joined in and together with volunteers from the Foundation they ensured things ensued in a businesslike manner.

A communications center was also set up where registrations took place. Every attendee had to register before they could see the doctor and an OPD card for the same was issued. Medicines and aid were thereafter given out from a separate counter within the premises.

On interacting with the gathering, volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation realized the village had been facing gynecological and gastro issues but due to lack of options and awareness, they had not been able to seek proper treatment.  A short counselling session on the need of timely treatment and addressing many long-standing queries was also held.

 It also came out during the exchange that the village is made up by a large population of children and infants who were particularly indisposed to the lowly hygiene culture that prevails in the area. The volunteers then went on to discuss and spread awareness on the importance of hygiene and how the villagers could raise the bar on personal hygiene.

Some of the patients were found exhibiting signs of respiratory and joint issues and a few had to be referred to Indo German Hospital where they will be offered advanced diagnostics and treatment.

Ponty Chadha Foundation is the philanthropic wing of Wave Group established in memory of late Mr. Gurdeep Chadha. Its areas of influence include childcare, special education, and food provisioning.

PCF organizes health camp in Village Dinanathpur

Health is a privilege denied to many. While in theory, there shouldn’t be any demographic or racial divide in access to basic amenities and social services to the citizens of a nation, things play out very differently in India.

The rural-urban divide in the country continues to pit a huge disparity between the general health and wellbeing of the populace. While on one hand, modern amenities and medical facilities are increasingly improved for city dwellers, access to even basic healthcare and diagnostics is difficult for the rural public. And, as most of India –or most of its poor—live in the villages, dearth of qualified medical functionaries and basic healthcare infrastructure continues to be the biggest challenge that thwarts growth of the nation.

Identifying this national concern, the Ponty Chadha Foundation has set about making a change at the grassroots level. In a series of healthcare initiatives taken up by them to increase the outreach of medical facilities to the underserved, a health camp was organized at Village Dinanathpur in collaboration with the Indo German Hospital, on November 19^th. Starting off at 1000 hrs. morning, the camp saw a huge crowd turn up with as many as 121 patients from 300 families undergo examination until 1pm.

The Foundation had its experienced volunteers working together to avoid any pandemonium. The huge playground of the village government school was let out to provide ample room for the patients to be comfortably seated while they awaited their turn. Separate registration, check-up and medicine distribution counters were setup to further systemize the operation. A patient would have to first obtain a token number and get their name and age registered on the OPD card; then, they would wait for getting examined, following which medicaments from the dedicated counter could be collected.  

The doctors at the camp did a thorough check-up after which a few cases were referred to the Indo German hospital for further diagnostics and treatment. They also spread awareness about safe sanitation practices and its importance in general well-being.

The doctors said that most complaints pertained to respiratory problems and joint pain which could have been well-addressed with timely treatment. This message was passed on to the villagers and was evidently was well received.

Ponty Chadha Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Wave Group and works towards social welfare through special childcare and food supply.

A Healthcare Call by Ponty Chadha Foundation

At a time when health services are skewed towards urban dwellers that have access to 66% of available hospital beds in the country, parts of rural India cope up on their own. With inadequate healthcare facilities and infrastructure in rural parts, studies reveal that over three-fifth of village population travels over 5km on average just to find a healthcare utility.

Insufficiency in public healthcare leads such people to set hope towards private healthcare but it results in affordability issues. Aware of this anomaly, Ponty Chadha Foundation (PCF) organizes camps in remote regions across the country to help create self-awareness and broader national perspective.

The latest camp for this endeavour took place on 29th October in Raghunathpur and addressed general health problems faced by the villagers. The event was organized in collaboration with Indo German Hospital and administered free advice, aid, and guidance on safe healthcare-related practices.

To hold a large number of attendees, the premises of a local school were used. Proceedings began at 10 in the morning and continued till 1 pm.  While the doctors and paramedics conducted health checks, the volunteers of Ponty Chadha Foundation controlled crowd and logistics management.

Villagers were guided through a check point where they were provided tokens after they had filled out OPD cards. The event was well-executed right through as the teams of doctors, paramedics, and the Foundation displayed excellent coordination.

The ensemble of over a hundred and twenty two was treated for common healthcare problems that had before been untreated. When it came out that quite a few of them exhibited signs of body pain and Asthma, the most vulnerable were referred to Indo German Hospital for further treatment.

The camp was part of the drive Ponty Chadha Foundation undertakes in different regions across India to provide aid and bring to the forefront issues of local and national significance.

Website: http://thepontychadhafoundation.com/

Ponty Chadha Foundation Organizes Healthcare Camp in Village Kachera

The Ponty Chadha Foundation (PCF) organized a free healthcare camp in the village of Kachera on November 12th 2014 which was held from 10 am to 1 pm at the premises of a village temple and attracted huge gathering. .

The camp lasted nearly three hours with suitable arrangements for seating for the crowd which had begun building up early.  A pre-examination process was put in place where tokens were assigned to patients after getting their details on an OPD card. A separate counter for collecting medicines was also set up.

During the examination, doctors found vulnerability against anemia and gynecological issues was rather high among the villagers, and some of them were referred for further examination and treatment to the Indo German Hospital.

As one of the doctors from the camp observed, “There is a section of people who suffer from serious health issues but never go to a doctor because of lack of proper facilities. If they get early diagnosis, they can prevent a life-threatening situation.”

The day started building up early and when the examination was complete by 1 PM, 143 members from 600 families had enlisted free healthcare.

The camp was held in collaboration with Indo-German Hospital with the objective of raising awareness on general healthcare. Upon interacting with some attendees who had attended the camp, PCF volunteers found the villagers with greater understanding of issues they previously had little knowledge of.

Talking about the initiative Mr. Manjir Ghosh, Head CSR, Wave Group & CEO Ponty Chadha Foundation said, "It was the vision of our late Chairman Mr. Ponty Chadha to provide proper diagnostic facilities to the poor and needy people. He believed that lack of such facilities only lead to their poor heath and so proper diagnosis is crucial. Our attempts are wholeheartedly and sincerely directed towards addressing these grassroots problems wherein people do not get medical assistance due to financial constraints.”

Ponty Chadha Foundation works towards enabling equitable healthcare across all sections and demography. Its initiatives span special child education and healthcare and continue to spread awareness on these issues among the rural populace.

Ponty Chadha Foundation’s Village Naiphal Health Camp

As much as India has progressed on spreading basic healthcare far and wide, villages still seem a forbidden lot.  Some of them, like village Naiphal in Ghaziabad, still don’t have facilities of their own and rely largely on facilities a fair distance off.

Rather ironically, the village that has lately been notified as an urban body has no medicare facility of its own but hinges on the single government setup in Dasna Tehsil for its own health. This has made medicare hard to come by for villagers, many of whom face signs of respiratory, joint pain, and vision disorders.

When Ponty Chadha Foundation zeroed in on this particular village, it found many of the villagers warranted a medical prognosis of the signs they had developed. The Foundation took cognizance of this and on the morning of September 6^th 2014, a large-scale health camp was organised at the village temple premises.

Doctors and teams of paramedics from Dr. Ram Saran Garg Indo German Hospital voluntarily stepped in as part of the drive to administer free aid and advise the villagers on general healthcare. The event picked up steam quite early as eager villagers made a beeline for the camp, and by 0700 hours, a sizable gathering had queued up for making mandatory registrations. 

Nearly 700 families attended the event which culminated around 1300 hours after every attendee had got medical aid and attention from the teams of doctors and assistants. The temple premises aided coordination and order with ample seating arrangements made in advance by the PCF teams.

The objective of the camp to provide aid and educate the villagers on early diagnosis was successfully achieved as a number of the attendees with signs of likely respiratory, vision, and joint-related disorders chose to pursue further treatment at the Indo German hospital. PCF and the hospital also pledged aid and support to these villagers pursuing further line of treatment.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation actively takes up social welfare.  Health camps in remote areas are one of the ways the Foundation brings up rural health to the forefront. The current drive focuses on villages in North India and Delhi NCR which lack even basic healthcare access. The Foundation’s outreach extends to charities and organisations actively involved in social upliftment, one noted among those being the Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan (MBCN). 

Ponty Chadha Foundation’s Naiphal health Camp

The adage ‘health is wealth’ could never have been any truer than now.  While everybody these days scurries through tight schedules, it is health that gets pushed to the backburner. Though that’s generally true of urban populace, Ponty Chadha Foundation has learnt that villages have their own share of larger, and often unrecognized, problems. 

One such village is Naiphal in Ghaziabad.  The villagers here have been faced by lack of medical aid for the longest time, which was taken cognizance of by the Foundation, and, a health camp organised on 6th September, 2014.

The day set off early as villagers started queuing up at 0700 hours by the village temple which was used for the event. By 1000 hours, doctors and paramedics from the Dr. Ram Saran Garg Indo German Hospital got the camp officially underway, and by the stroke of noon, over 100 families had got a general health check done.

The momentum was maintained right through untilevery attendee had had themselves medically examined. As planned, by 1300 hours the whole village was comprehensively covered. 

As the paramedics and teams of doctors went about their business, a group of volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation tended to the assemblage in the temple hall where due arrangements to accommodate the gathering had been made. 

Other volunteers divvied up in teams to ensure the villagers made the most of this opportunity and the event went by well-ordered.  Every villager was guided through a check point where they displayed their registration details before seeing the medical team. 

The dwellers of village Naiphal, it came out during the camp, were particularly prone to respiratory, joint, and vision issues, with quite a few of them, needing further treatment. Such cases were, after being examined and administered available aid, asked to show up at the Indo German Hospitalwhere they would get treated with support and aid from the Foundation

It is rather surprising that the village does not have any Anganwadi centre to aid its population. Ponty Chadha Foundation learnt through a former Anganwadi worker that the village was deemed an urban body which has putit directly under the purview of Dasna Tehsil’s government facility. Ever since, the gap between facilities and aid has only widened,and the village has not got due attention from the concerned authorities.

Ponty Chadha Foundation's Kazipura's Health Camp

The morning of 25th June was a bright one for the people of Kazipura, for the residents, in unison, assembled at Ponty Chadha Foundation’s free health campaign set up for treating health issues inherent in the region.

The village of Kazipura has a lot of people who suffer from joint pain and cataract. The most perturbing of all issues is that a greater part of the village finds professional healthcare hard to get to, and hence it’s kind of normal for matters of health to be shirked away as a way of life.

Realizing the problem, the Ponty Chadha Foundation approached with the solution of a health camp that attracted people from all walks, specially mothers and children. Dr. Ram Saran Garg hospital, the best Indo-German hospital around, and its team of doctors and paramedics collaborated in raising health awareness and treating the villagers for various issues.

The camp started at 10 in the morning and by 1 pm, a sizable population from the village of 250 families had got checked up for cataract and joint pain in particular, and undergone general healthcare checks.

The residents were beforehand informed to get themselves registered.  The team of doctors and the medical team, in tandem, ensured requisite medicaments were provided and those in need of extended medical supervision are taken under the wing.

The Ponty Chadha foundation has been doing its bit to scale up social welfare across the country. It focuses strongly on the idea of social parity through endeavours in health, education, and special care.

The Foundation also strongly advocates malnourishment eradication and several of its efforts, especially in rural India, are directed towards that. It has garnered the support of Indian FoodBanking Network and is steadily extending outreach through countrywide programs from time to time.

Ponty Chadha Foundation Initiates Health Camp in Hathipur

Healthcare in India is not a level playing field. Though technological advancements have led to state-of-the-art facilities across states, high treatment costs put these virtually out of bounds of the poor.

The existing public healthcare system, plagued by infrastructural, staffing, and quality issues, falls short on catering to over 260 million people in need of healthcare and nutrition support. Such a massive pressure exposes the cracks in the system all the more, and leaves nearly a third of the country deprived of quality health facilities.

Extending support in bridging some of the gaps is the Ponty Chadha Foundation. Recently, at a health camp held in village Hathipur (UP), the Foundation, along with staff from Dr. Ram Saran Garg (Indo-German) Hospital, tended to the indisposed with free medication, consultation, and examination.

Prenatal care was one of the key focus areas since the geography faces inadequate maternity care facilities. Would-be mothers and those who had recently embraced motherhood made a beeline for expert care from a distinguished team of doctors and paramedical staff.

The area has also been prone to cataract.  The old, in particular, have been majorly predisposed owing to below par ophthalmic support. A special team of ophthalmologists and optometrists served the affected, carrying out free surgeries, and educating the villagers on post-operative care.  The team also encouraged those with developing signs to adopt corrective measures.

In line with guiding principles of social welfare, a series of measures initiated across the country by Ponty Chadha's Foundation have helped bring aid to hundreds of needy with limited quality healthcare options. Some of the more recent efforts have been in small places like Inayatpur, Shadipur Chhidoli, and Dinanathpur Puthi and plans to extend further out to remote locales are on the way.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation: Curbing Child Malnutrition in India

The common perception about malnutrition in India being primarily a lack of food issue has been straightened out by the recent World Bank findings which state that lack of a central policy for food dissemination and low focus on quality have been instrumental in India lacking behind some sub Saharan African nations on the prevalence of underweight children.

Malnutrition in children is also as rampant because of inappropriate primary care facilities, high predisposition towards infection, and lacking in feeding and care, in the first few years of a child. This puts children in India, particularly from the economically marginalized classes, at the greatest risk of having to bear long-term malnutrition consequences.

India's central, and the most comprehensive policy response to child malnutrition, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), has not been as effective in controlling child malnutrition due to a number of reasons.

Firstly, the deployment for targeting greater mass coverage and the core focus of the program being children above three years of age have rendered the ICDS widely unyielding. Children under two years of age have been proven the most vulnerable, but this group is not what the ICDS is particularly aimed at.

Demographic and socioeconomic variables also play an important role, but as per the World Bank, greater damage is being caused by a lack of established food supply system and quality control. India produces enough food for its internal consumption, but is unable to feed its poor because of an imbalance between supply and production.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation has been drawing the nation’s attention on this front through its various initiatives directed at plugging the supply chain gaps. Its pilot food banking project in Delhi NCR has been acknowledged by the India Food Banking Network (IFBN) for being a charity-driven food chain that procures food directly from government funded agencies and ensures it gets delivered the quickest to the needy in Noida and Ghaziabad.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation: Food Bank Solution for Malnutrition

A major focus of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG), set in 2000 with a 2015-deadline, is to reduce the child mortality rate and bolster maternal care and health across the world. While a few countries, like China, have achieved phenomenal success with the MDG goals, India is more than likely to miss the mark on child malnutrition, sanitation, and other key social parameters despite a number of programs and measures having been introduced.

The World Bank puts a number of reasons accounting for India's lack of success to deduce that the country does not lack in food production means but has not been able to create an established system of monitoring nutrition and food delivery. A high segment of the malnourished population suffers because access to food sources and government programs is either limited or non-existent.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation's food banking concept, aimed at providing greater access to food supplies, addresses malnutrition at the core. The concept involves a chain of subsidiaries for procurement of government aided and surplus food supplies from charities, NGOs, and markets. The procurement, after being put through standard quality control checks, is delivered directly to an identified demographic.

A pilot run of the concept has been launched in Delhi NCR wherein the poor and needy from 18 villages around Noida and Ghaziabad are aided with food supplies. The initiative has already been recognized and supported by the Indian Food Banking Network (IFBN) and the foundation is planning to implement the system further across the country.

In line with its guiding philosophy of inclusive growth, the Ponty Chadha Foundation also runs free medical checks in special camps held across the country. It also aims at creating greater malnutrition awareness in the nation by engaging the youth of the country. Special sensitization drives are held to foster progress on this front.

Malnutrition Remains A Concerning Cause For India

For India, a strong, able bodied workforce that can drive production, increase exports, and strengthen the nation economically is a crucial growth factor. However, with the World Bank malnutrition findings, rating India worse than some of the poorest nations worldwide,and stating that the prevalence of underweight children in India to be higher than sub-Saharan nations, India’s growth aspirations stand severely challenged.

A huge malnourished section is a big impediment for any country and can potentially stall growth by creating an underproductive, undernourished workforce. India, in particular, has a culturally strong labour force, and the country needs it, to keep pace with the growing economy and support expanding infrastructure.

The fight against malnutrition has been a prolonged one for India. It is almost since independence that the country has been faced with malnutrition, and even with a number of schemes and programs being devised,checking the malnutrition curve has been a tall order.

According to the World Bank, India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is one of the most comprehensive and well-placed schemes to trigger a change, but needs a different implementation approach. Instead of focusing on gaining demographic coverage alone, the ICDS must be looked at in a way that promotes faster food delivery, nutrition control, and other core fundamentals.

The challenges for the undernourished set in, as early as birth, with as many as one in three newborns underweight, a majority on account of the malnourished mother. If not cared for, such children are highly likely to develop cognitive and physical disorders arising from the effects of stunting and wasting.

Serving hopeto the millions of malnourished in India is the Ponty Chadha Foundation which was established to further the vision of philanthropy. The foundation works towardhelping the weaker sections of society, through charity-driven socioeconomic measures.

Together, with the acclaimed India FoodBanking Network (IFBN), the foundation introduced the concept of the food bank in Noida and Ghaziabad wherein a chain of donors is used for procurement of food supplies delivereddirectly to those most in need, thereby eliminating supply chain delays.

The Ponty Chadha Foundation also offers free medical aid to the poor in 18 villages around Noida and Ghaziabad by periodically-organized free health checks and camps, with the aim to reach out to those socially marginalised and under-served sections of society in a short span of time. It also aims to sensitize the youth towards the needs of the poor by getting them involved with the Foundation’s schemes and programs.