Towards a health initiative & Human Rights

A peoples' initiative

Belur Sramajibi hospital is not just another hospital. It is unique in it's own way. Situated at Belur, a small industrial town near Greater Kolkata, about 10 KM from the city. The history goes back to 1983 when workers of a steel rolling mill ( Indo-Japan Steel Ltd.) and some young doctors of the area jointly started a health programme. It started with a clinic and a different health awareness programmes amongst the workers and the ordinary people. During the years the clinic developed into a small hospital and became popular in the area. In 1994, the workers' Union of the mill got permission to run the hospital in an old dilapidated building in the factory premises. The workers raised funds for its renovation and themselves built different appliances and furniture necessary for the hospital thereby cutting the cost. 

The hospital was opened on March 1, 1994. The factory had been closed down soon, but the hospital was not. The retrenched workers in conjunction with local people and a group of philanthropic and enterprising doctors continued to take active participation in the day to day activities to flourish it in its present state. Now some paramedics with a missionary zeal are also working round the clock to cater the services to the hundreds of patients everyday both at indoor and outdoor. Till now about twenty seven thousand patients in general outdoor as well as forty five thousand patients have been treated in specialist outdoors, viz. Surgery, orthopedics, gynecology and obstetrics, Pediatric, Eye, Neuro-psychiatry, E.N.T. etc. More than four thousand five hundred operations have been conducted in this hospital. Out of this 50% of which has been done free of cost. Of late several open heart surgeries have benn carried out at a minimal cost

Principally the hospital treats workers of closed and sick unit free of cost. People of low income group viz. labourers, rickshaw-pullers, maid servants etc. are also enjoying facilities of free treatment here. We also provide treatment facilities of the family members of the victim of custodial death in west Bengal viz. Mr. Lakhi Chand Paswan, father of Bhikari Paswan, the disappeared jute mill worker. The hospital announced free treatment of the patient, who is a victim of state repression.

The hospital solely depends upon physical and economical help by the public, thus setting an example. It has not taken any economic help either form Government or corporate houses across the country or abroad. To meet the increasing demand of the common people, to inherit the advancement of scientific development and to use this for better treatment of the working mass, the hospital has introduced Endoscopy Surgery Unit (ESU). This facility (ESU) is not available even in any govt. hospital right this moment.

Under ruthless attack

In spite of its good work and popularity in the area, Sramajibi hospital has to face repeated attacks by land grabbers in connivance with police and workers of ruling political party Firstly on 26th April, 1997 a huge contingent of police and the land grabbers with their hired man and hooligans attacked the hospital, threw out the patients from orthopedics ward, demolished the southern part of the hospital, ransacked the hospital and misbehaved, manhandled the doctors and female health workers of the hospitals. A public interest litigation has been initiated by Sri Kirity Roy, Secretary of MASUM in High Court, Calcutta. Following report and investigation by a special officer appointed by a court, confirmed the above story. However, Hon'ble Justice S.B. Sinha in his detail judgment referred the matter to the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) for seeking intervention into human rights violations. The WBHRC submitted their report on 14.12.98 which clearly stated the intention and negligence on the part of the police who favoured the land grabbers illegally. Commission also recommends an interim compensation in favour of Sramajibi Hospital. But all in vein. After two years have elapsed but the hospital is yet to receive any compensation.

On 24th January, 1999, the attack came again. This time with the help of ruling party workers along with land grabbers did the same misconduct and hooliganism over the patients and doctors of Sramajibi Hospital and forcefully hoisted their red flags upon hospital buildings to make it their party office. This time police again remained inactive, supported passively the unlawful act and kept mum though they were present in front of the hospital building. This type of repeated barbaric attack over peoples' initiative was discussed in the floor of West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Peoples from all corners of the state as well as some international eminent personalities like Justice V.M. Tarkunde, Justice Rajinder Sachar, Dr. David Morley, Mr. Asgar Ali Engineer, Sankho Ghosh, Mahasweta Devi and others denounced this heinous attack over a hospital, the example of which could not be found in the history of British colonial rule.

Against all odds

Despite the repeated attack by land grabber, police administration, ruling political party and factory owners, Sramajibi Hospital is running and developing steadily with the active concerted effort of common people led by workers of IJSL. In the dismal health scenario of West Bengal, where the health care at govt. hospital are inadequate and poor on one hand and the private sector nursing homes and other profit making organisations have converted health in a expensive commodities on the other . In this horrid state Sramajibi Hospital tries to draw a silver line on the gloomy sky and asserts itself as a viable peoples' initiative in the field of catering health to people. To build up a real alternative in health aspect and established the health rights of common people, Sramajibi Hospital has to traverse many uneven tortuous path. Needless to say, consciousness of people as well as to take initiative on their own is not an easy task. To raise their consciousness and to interact with thoughts and works of like-minded organisation, Sramajibi Hospital publishes a paper regularly as a Bengali bi-monthly named ' SRAMAJIBI SWASTHYA'. Through this paper Sramajibi Hospital wishes to get closer to friends and comrades of different peoples' initiative organisations who are fighting in different corners in India and abroad to establish peoples' rights in different aspects and against all odds and attacks of Govt., Management, social hooligans, and vested interested. Sramajibi Hospital participates in different types of social ativities also. It organises regular health check-up camp in remote place of Sundarban in South 24 Parganas, at Sarberia village, twice in a month.

MASUM has been involved and stood beside the Sramajibi Hospital all along and against all sorts of violations, the hospital was subjected to. MASUM also believes that people are the ultimate and last resort to uphold and preserve their own rights. If the joint effort of people gains momentum regarding question of human rights in every field, MASUM wishes to be a faithful and sincere member to this human rights movement.