a) Preventive Health Care for Forest staff
Frontline forest staff deployed in Protected Areas (PAs) around the country work under very stressful conditions. Extreme weather, long and strenuous patrolling regime, and encounters with armed poachers lead to high incidences of stress-related diseases. Apart from exposure to communicable diseases such as malaria, forest staff are also vulnerable to chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The remoteness of their locations, coupled with lack of affordable and quality healthcare, exacerbates the problem.
WCT addresses this problem by conducting health check-up camps and providing preventive healthcare to frontline forest staff, free of cost. The initiative is being conducted in partnership with Tulsi Foundation, UK.
Forest staff receives:
• Screening for non-communicable disease risk factors such as raised blood glucose, abnormal lipids, raised blood pressure, use of tobacco, use of alcohol, etc.
• Blood pressure check, measurement of height and weight to calculate BMI, and measurement of waist circumference.
• Basic pathology investigations including haemoglobin levels, HbA1c, liver profile, lipid profile, etc.
• Screening for Hepatitis B & C.
• ECG test for those identified with cardio-vascular risk factors.
These screenings allow WCT health teams to identify officials with chronic or serious illnesses, who are then advised to seek further treatment.
Recently, the team concluded the three-year long (2016-2019) survey, in what is the world’s largesthealth needs assessment survey of frontline forest staff, covering nearly 1,400 frontline forest staff across 18 PAs in central India. The data collected through this survey will play a key role in drafting policy recommendations for health and safety of the frontline forest staff on duty
We aim to disseminate the findings from these screenings to all relevant stakeholders to raise awareness about the health risks and needs of forest staff. In this regard, scientific peer reviewed articles and reports are being prepared.
b) Trauma Management Training
Globally, India ranks first in on-duty mortality of frontline forest staff. More than 100 frontline forest staff have lost their lives due to accidents and injuries sustained during work between 2014 and 2018. Continuing with our efforts to build capacities in forest staff, we are addressing their need for access to emergency healthcare.
Through the ‘Trauma Management Training’, WCT imparts necessary knowledge and skills to the frontline forest staff, enabling them to respond to emergencies effectively. These skills prove invaluable for the forest staff posted at remote locations with limited availability of healthcare services.
WCT conducts one-day training sessions for frontline forest staff to impart basic-first aid and trauma management techniques. The training includes an overview of trauma-care, guidance on methods to deal with emergencies such as injuries due to animal or human attacks, vehicular trauma, fall from a height, snake and scorpion bites, burns and heat-strokes, high-grade fevers, epilepsy attacks and other medical emergencies. Group exercises in simulated field settings provide a hands-on experience for the forest staff.
Over 1,200 frontline forest staff from 17 PAs in the Central Indian Landscape have been trained under the programme. A survey of the staff revealed that at least one in ten forest staff have faced serious trauma due to accidents, major injuries and animal attacks (including snake bites) while working in the field, from where even basic medical care was more than 30 km away.
WCT has also developed and distributed a ‘First Aid Field Guide for Forest Staff’ that provides a ready-reference for managing emergencies which they are likely to face in the field.