The Indian’s government’s scheme to bring down maternal and neonatal focuses on encouraging women to deliver at state-run health facilities--Providing cash incentives and free healthcare for pregnant women below the poverty line. However, pregnant women in Bankeda village Odisha are forced to hire private vehicles and pay for check-ups and deliveries at government health facilities. They do not receive cash incentives – Rs 1400 under the central government’s Janani Suraksha Yojana and Rs 5000 under the Mamata Yojana of the state government. “Why should we go to state-run health facilities,” they ask.
Satya Banchor reports from Bankeda village, Bolangir district, Odisha
This series on community monitoring of maternal health in India is supported by Oxfam India.
The torch bearer of rights for marginalized tribals of Odisha
If you ask Video Volunteers’ Community Correspondent Bideshini Patel to rate her childhood on a scale of 1-10, she would probably give it a negative marking due to the neglect and abuse she faced. But if you ask her to evaluate her professional life as an impactful journalist, resolving basic...
Fighting for Change: The Story of Bihar-Based Journalist Amir Abbas
Inspiration can come from many sources, but one of the most powerful is seeing someone walk the path before you. Our Community Correspondent, Syed Amir Abbas found his inspiration in Stalin K., the founding director of Video Volunteers. “I met Stalin at VV’s national meet in 2017 and I...