Micro Credit Health System for women from Mar 11

Mysore, Mar 9 (UNI) As part of its efforts to empower women of Mysore and Chamarajanagara districts in health and education sectors, the International Human Development and Upliftment Academy (IHDUA) here will launch a 'Micro Credit Health System' on March 11.

Addressing mediapersons here, Academy Chairman and Bharath Charitable Cancer Hospital and Institute Founder Dr B S Ajai Kumar said the Institute along with the World Bank had conducted a study 'Access to Women's Health Services' in six taluks in the two districts and its findings had led the Academy to come up with such a programme.

The study, which covered 1,54,000 women, revealed that an alarming 68 per cent of the women in these two districts were illiterate and 72 per cent of the girls were married off before the age of 18 years. Besides, 72 per cent of them were found to be anaemic and malnourished as they worked 18 hours a day.

These findings led the Academy to work on programmes that would help improve the economic conditions of these women, which in turn would empower them in health and education sectors, he said and added that the Micro Credit Health System would be launched at Begur village in Gundlupet taluk on March 11.

Dr Kumar said under the first phase of the System, every member of Self Help Groups would contribute an additional Rs one per week, apart from their regular savings towards this programme. This amount would be deposited in a bank and used for free medical prescription for the women folk.

In the second phase, 'Emergency Medical Care,' would be launched under which SHG members would be able to get funding for emergency medical requirments. The third phase would see operation of ambulances in these villages, he added.

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