RCH Guwahati is being implemented in 14 slum areas in and around Guwahati, mostly in South Guwahati. The majority of the slum population is daily wage earners (construction workers, domestic help, rickshaw pullers and vegetable vendors) and almost 70-80% are migrants (from Bangladesh, Bengal and Bihar). The site selection was done by MMH and was based on population structure, socioeconomic profile of the people residing in the area, needs of the population, and presence of basic infrastructure.
The Marwari Maternity Hospital provides first tier health services, including outreach camps in slums. The hospital also functions as a second tier health facility for outreach patients. RCH camps are carried out by MMH at regular intervals; a specific time and day is fixed for every camp. The cost of handling patients in the hospital is borne by the MMH. This cost is partially covered by the nominal fees collected from patients. MMH also receives funding from the state government to provide outreach and referral services in the target areas.
Services rendered under this project include regular vaccinations for children, routine ante-natal services for pregnant women, basic laboratory services (blood, urine & stool examination for ante-natal mothers), deliveries, family planning, and in-patient care.
The project, first implemented in 2002, presently covers 7 municipalities and 14 session sites, effectively providing maternal and child care to a slum population of 250,000,000.
