“The Basti might be part of Delhi and close to many well-known hospitals, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, but it is cut off from this development,” says Jyotsna Lall, senior programme officer at Aga Khan Foundation, the philanthropic organisation that has been working in the community since 2007. A combination of factors like low literacy, poor health and apathy has seen women in the community facing various problems, including anaemia and severe complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Though there are no statistics available, many, including mothers and babies, have lost lives. What complicates the situation is the on-going tension with the ‘migrants,’ who make up for almost half of the 12,000-strong community.
In 2006, the state administration set up a polyclinic here. A year later, the Foundation started working with the community and roped in a gynaecologist and a paediatrician for the clinic, which also got a pathology laboratory.
Ismailimail 