Keep THE Promise : Voice of Young People & People Living With NCDs for Policy action #UHCDAY

#HealthForAll   #UHCDay

For details 

Ms Sutapa Biswas   |   Executive Director

CANCER FOUNDATION OF INDIA

47/2D Selimpur Road, Kolkata - 700 031. INDIA

W: +91.8961.313131

“Health is highly gendered especially the NCDs...... Jyotsna Roy, Patient Champion Nada India

She added, “Health is highly gendered especially the NCDs. When I say, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, the interest in my condition and the accompanying morbidity somehow lessened in the hierarchy of NCDs. And I see this among other female patients.” Instead of giving up, Jyotsna Roy is busy as a health advocate inspiring others who are victims of non communicable diseases to live bravely. And help others. Incidentally Jyotsna Roy attended on behalf of Nada India the 72nd World Health Assembly early this month in Geneva organized by the WHO.

Prof.T.K.Thomas 
The annual World No Tobacco Day was observed on 31st May. The day is observed by the World Health Organization [WHO] and global partners as an opportunity to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form. This year’s focus for the day was, “Tobacco and lung health”. Everyone knows how tobacco affects our lungs. The WHO release says, the campaign will increase awareness on, “the negative impact that tobacco has on people’s lung health, from cancer, to chronic respiratory diseases”.

There are frightening figures about the mortality attached to tobacco related diseases. A study by three Indian researchers in 2012 revealed that “tobacco is a leading preventable cause of death, killing nearly six million people worldwide each year. Reversing this entirely preventable man made epidemic should be our top priority. The global tobacco epidemic kills more people than tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria combined. India is the second largest consumer of tobacco globally and accounts for approximately one sixth of the world’s tobacco related deaths”.

Despite the above shocking figures, last Friday’s Anti Tobacco Day went off silently with hardly any major events or the media highlighting the critical importance of this major health problem. Such issues on our health and well being are not a priority for a highly commercialized media except when there are breakouts of epidemics or health disasters or emergencies.

It may be mentioned here that a new problem has emerged with the increasing use of what is known as ENDS [Electronic Nicotine Delivery System] or e-cigarettes and on World No Tobacco day last week the Indian Council of Medical Research [ICMR] released a White Paper recommending “a complete prohibition on e-cigarettes in India in the greater interest of protecting public health.” The White Paper further points out how the country has worked hard and succeeded in effecting a 6% decline in tobacco use. Hasn’t the spread of e-cigarettes as an addiction subtly promoted by commercial interests put a question mark on that success story of slowly winning the fight against the scourge of tobacco?

Addiction to alcoholism, smoking and abuse of designer drugs are lifestyle non communicable diseases unlike communicable diseases caused by germs, bacteria, viruses etc. There is increasing recognition of non communicable diseases as a major threat to health and well being. Mercifully health care issues now focus more on non communicable diseases.

One has come across a very interesting document by the NITI Aayog entitled “Strategy for New India@75”. The statistics on health given in the document are revealing. For example, of total current expenditure on health classified health care functions, preventive care accounts for 6.7 percent and the money spent on curing people on the other hand is 51% of the expenditure. India accounts for 18% of the global population [2016] but we account for 34%of the global tuberculosis burden and 26% of the premature mortality due to diarrhoea, lower respiratory and other common infectious diseases. 

 “At the same time non communicable diseases [NCDs], including cardiovascular conditions, chronic obstructive respiratory diseases, diabetes, rheumatic arthritis, mental health conditions and cancers are now the leading cause of health loss, with 55%of morbidity and premature mortality attributed to these conditions.”

There was this interesting brainstorming by Nada India on June 1st as a continuation of World No Tobacco Day and marked the launching of Young India Network for Good Health, a youth initiative. Spearheaded by its chairman Suneel Vatsyayan, an acclaimed substance abuse prevention veteran, the programme highlighted participation of youth in combating the rampant problem of non communicable diseases. Vatsyayan said that the WHO uses the hashtag #beatNCDs and called upon the youth to put that hashtag into action! 


The participants comprised a mix of experts, health advocates, people living with NCDs including, patient champions and young volunteers associated with the field. It was a learning experience to every stakeholder present and this piece is an attempt to highlight people living with NCDs and their caregivers. Such initiatives may be on a small scale but across the country we have such concerned small groups of youngsters creating awareness among ordinary folks.

 The presentations of three doctors at the event, Dr. Ajay Vats, chair person of Indian Association of Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists [IAADS], Dr, Arindam Sinha, NADA Acupuncture Detoxification specialist and
 Dr. Bharat Bhushan, vice president , Federation of NGOs for Drug Abuse Prevention [FINGODAP] facilitated the understanding of the young volunteers of the issues involved in non communicable diseases. As professionals dealing with alcohol and drug addiction prevention, they highlighted addiction as a major NCD. They stressed the need for detoxification, treatment and long term recovery programmes. 
Dr. Sinha emphasized the effect of NADA protocol on various NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension and insomnia.

There were ‘’patient champions” running peer led drug rehabilitation centers. Two such national award winning entrepreneurs Pradip Goyal, who runs Vikalp in Ghaziabad and Harish Bhutani who runs Nav Vikalp in Jaipur explained the challenges of working with patients who have, besides addiction, cross cutting NCDs like, Tuberculosis, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and mental health problems.

 The mental health Act of 2017, they said has made registration of de-addiction centers mandatory with standards of care prescribed and daily visits by a psychiatrist made compulsory. Addiction as a NCD is therefore acknowledged as a mental health issue. The question of smoking by inmates of deaddiction centers was raised in one session of the day long deliberations. Care providers agreed that smoking is a problem. It was pointed out by one of the experts that smoking in health care facilities is banned.

Dr. Sinha emphasized the effect of NADA protocol on various NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension and insomnia.

There was also Devendra Jyoti, a peer support activist, [himself suffering from NCDs] who works with homeless people in Delhi for Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan. As a Nada volunteer, he helps a self help group of homeless people. He pointed out the reality of the life of homeless people in Delhi and elsewhere. Most of them are victims of one or more NCDs.

The most talked about NCD is cancer. World Cancer Day is observed on February 4, 2019 and all the media come out with reports and special features. Cancer awareness programmes, need for early detection, success stories especially of celebrities, occupied front pages and prime time. People are mortally scared of the disease and cancer is one of the scourges mankind is yet to conquer. Cancer spares none. For example, a peer support counselor and recovering addict Dayanand died of cancer, not addiction, a few years back at the age of 36.

Yesterday, 2nd June, incidentally was observed in the United States as Cancer Survivors Day. Special events are organized in the U S to celebrate the lives of the survivors and acknowledge the dedicated service of caregivers. The U S President’s message on the occasion was for the 32nd annual Cancer Survivors’ Day. The Day was noticed by some of our channels also. At least there was the story of actress Lisa Ray, professionally active, living with Multiple Myeloma, a form of blood cancer. Her memoir “Close to the Bone” is considered inspirational by readers. “We should reflect on death at some point in life. It helps us to prepare better“, said Lisa Ray in a television interview on 2nd June. That is the spirit of a person living with a NCD.

 In the programme in Delhi on NCDs about which one has written had a presentation by a person living with NCD, Jyotsna Roy who narrated her story of living with rheumatic arthritis, a painful NCD that can have crippling effects. She said,

 “There are 5 million people like her who are Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferer-Survivor [RASS]. It is a silent non communicable disease not talked about much and not listed as a major NCD. It mostly affects women leading to challenging mental states and responses”.

 She added, “health is highly gendered especially the NCDs. When I say, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, the interest in my condition and the accompanying morbidity somehow lessened in the hierarchy of NCDs. And I see this among other female patients.”

Instead of giving up, Jyotsna Roy is busy as a health advocate inspiring others who are victims of non communicable diseases to live bravely. And help others. Incidentally Jyotsna Roy attended on behalf of Nada India the 72nd World Health Assembly early this month in Geneva organized by the WHO.
“Health is a hugely gendered question, which we have not talked about
nearly enough. I urge the GAP and all of its accelerators to adequately
account for the impact of gender on health.”
Jyotsna Roy, Patient Champion, Nada India Foundation 

It was heartening to see young volunteers coming together to work with people living with Non Communicable Diseases. Vindhya, a Nada India Young India network volunteer pointed out that,“with the growing young population in India, it becomes extremely important to involve youth and understand their needs at the policy level. This can help them to effectively deal with the cross cutting issues like linkages between alcoholism, tobacco use and tuberculosis. The government must make the political decision to put youth first to make the universal health coverage a reality.” Peace Gong volunteer coordinator, Arunesh Pathak concluded that, “we are motivated to work on NCDs like alcoholism increases domestic violence and as we work on nonviolence such activities assume more meaning.”
Source courtesy:  https://www.pennews.net/opinion/2019/06/04/inevitable-role-of-young-india

I am, a woman, one of the 5 million persons, in India, who are Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferer- Survivor (RASS)

Nobody dies of Rheumatoid Arthritis but of illnesses that are induced by Rheumatoid Arthritis through the compromised immunity of the body.  

It is a silent non communicable disease not talked about much and not listed as a major NCD.  It mostly afflicts women leading to challenging mental states and responses. 

"... However, even a low prevalence of 0.34% would meanthat India (1.2 billion populations) has probably 5 million patients.... theburden of RA nonetheless is extremely high and needs to be seriously addressedat a national level. " 

I am, a woman, one of the 5 million persons, in India, who are Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferer- Survivor (RASS).

I had just finished a huge project which contributed to the efficiency of one of the two National duties.  My team and I worked 18 hour days for five straight months. Even while working at the national scale I had a severe attack of Psoriasis on my hands and soles of my feet. The skin on my palms and sole was dry as caked clay and cracked. It was worrying, painful, and cosmetically ‘not nice’.  Once the Psoriasis cleared Rheumatoid Arthritis set in. All joints were affected but the hip joint. I was almost crippled, incapable of the most basic and simple mundane routine activities. I could not lift my head, my eyes hurt, body bloated and mind fogged. It was bewildering for me. 

I think that a  severe deep personal trauma, the long hours of work with indifferent diet and responsibilities were the triggers of the RA that must have been dormant in my system.

Fortunately I had and don’t have diabetes and hypertension in spite of the humongous task just accomplished and my condition. I visited different specialists and had different diagnostics conducted. But the condition kept getting worse. Finally the Senior Consultant of Internal Medicine advised a consultation with the Rheumatologist. Medication, regular follow up and temperature control put me on the path to recovery.  And I was travelling international for work after three months.  I was surprised that not having the courage to even think, leave alone attempt it, I walked up a hill to see the beautiful lake and another one to see a Dzong.  

So nothing is permanent. Everything changes. All we need to do is to be aware, make the effort and ask for help when needed. RA makes one extend the boundaries. Do things that seem impossible at certain times. So, what did I do to manage my condition to turn from sufferer to support provider? I did the following which I shared on Rheumatoid Arthritis Network- India, RAN-I,  FB page.

• Make sure you work to reduce your stress...
• Make sure you do some sort of workout/ exercise...
• Make sure you reduce the 'whites' in your diet....
• White flour sugar, common table salt, sugar, synthetic milk...
• Instead have the greens, yellows, reds and browns
• Nuts and crunchy leaves and seeds
• The spices on your kitchen shelves
• Cinnamon coriander cardamom cumin fennel oregano black pepper curry leaves basil leaves mint leaves...
• Coconut water cucumber juice spinach juice
• Lots of fluids...
• Get fresh air
• Be happy 
• Try to chill even on a bad day
• Watch a movie
• Go out
• Be informed about your treatment and medication
• Talk to your treating physician
• Remember there are more than one systems that can treat RA
• A combination often works.
• Keep warm and dry.
• Switch on the A.C. 30 mins before you hit the bed
• Switch it off when you hit the bed...
• You will wake up with reduced stiffness.
• Plan challenges that will make you work on reducing the pain and discomfort...
• Meditate, walk in nature, make a small garden of few pots, do clay work ...all this will give you positive energy...
• Get up....don't wait for someone to give you the glass of water
• RA can be managed and it will not take over your life.
• To all of you who like this page....
• From a recovered cripple moving beyond boundaries. 
• Much love.

THE OBJECTIVES of RAN-I are to connect for sharing of experiences, asking for suggestions, among those who are suffering, have survived and live with Rheumatoid Arthritis conditions and between RA affected and experts.

Who can join and are invited? Anyone who has the RA condition and or is caring for someone with it, nutrition advisors, skin care advisors, exercise and self management trainers, medical experts from all schools of medicine, mental health experts, and anyone else who empathizes.

This is not supported by any business interests and those with business interests are not welcome.

The reason we build this network is that in India there is no place to share and meet FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE RA, WHICH IS PART OF an Individual's LIFE ONCE IT VISITS. The morbidity is high but unrecognized.

On February 2 2016, named as world RA day, a What’s App group called Aasha was started and has already a conversation going.

The promoter of this page and site is RA affected, who is making the best of the conditions. In the role of support provider and caring it is a prerequisite that I take care of my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. I am aware of my health, monitor the parameters regularly, aware of my diet, daily morning walk, gentle yoga, daily meditation, interact with friends,  regular work hours, reduced computer gazing and reduced stress and remove stressors. This has reduced morbidity and fogging and makes me available to support others who need only a compassionate ‘ear’,  or some advice for themselves or a parent and share information.
Join our Networks 
Nada India NCD prevention Network
Young India Network for Good Health 
visit www.nadaindia.info 
Mobile 9810594544 

Meaningful involvement of People living With NCDs #PLWNCDs

The Healthy India Alliance (HIA) plans to develop a National Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs based on the inputs of those who took part in the five community conversations (Nada organized one such  Community Conversation among alcohol and drug using population )held in the India. Nada India Team (Ms.Nidhi,Devender Joti peer educator (PLWNCD) ,Pushpa caregiver and Suneel Vatsyayan ) participated and contributed in the Healthy India Alliance Regional Consultancy Meeting for the Northern Region in Delhi on 28th August 2018. Nada India is also part of HIA core group on patient engagement. 

 Nidhi shared her experience and feedback

There's an old conventional way of convening corporate meetings but when we work on fronts of issues related to public at large then engagement of participants in the meeting requires breaking those barriers for formal conversation , cut off the veil and talk about the real things in a realistic way.

Mr.Suneel Vatsyayan has done the same , he shaken the participants in the meeting and tried to bring their attention on the fact that as we have to focus on meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs and it's risk factors like alcohol and drugs to do the same we hv you first meaningfully engage ourself in terms of language , personal real life experiences and real life experiences of people we are talking about.

The body language was intimate and words chosen were close to human beings ,that made most people relate as to talk more openly. 

Kept sticking to and time and again asked others to focus on the topic and reality. 

Perhaps Suneel Vatsyayan Chairperson Nada India was the only one who was more experienced than others in community work.

Very purposefully conveyed his msg. Also shook people to take off mask and talk freely as one time or another we all have to face same difficulties for the purpose we are here for discussions.

 Pushpa both as Nada community worker shared her experience well.

Also as care giver she shared her true feelings. Her wounds are fresh and she needs time to heal. But her spirits are high and ver courageous lady she is.

Devender Joti one of the peer educator of Nada India shared his personal experience and professional experience well in dealing with PLWD and NCDs.

As he has worked in social sector that is unorganized work sector ,he has worked in a free environment with less obligations to adhere to certain way of work and that is good also as we are not in any race for perfection and one should not be.

Its good we as People Living with NCDs got opportunity to express ourselves freely and also hv choice for work. Nidhi Nada India Team.

MEANINGFULLY INVOLVING

PEOPLE LIVING WITH NCDs

What is being done and why it matters

https://ncdalliance.org/sites/default...

DIABETES CHANGED MY LIFE... Nada India Health Advocate

Nitish Rai was 

awarded for his voluntary  contribution in 2017

HOW BEING DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES CHANGED MY LIFE

Nitish Rai is a Nada India Good Health 

Advocate. 

Hi Friends,
I am Nitish Rai I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 20 years ago, when I was 4 years old.  Type 1 diabetes is an invisible disease. To look at me you wouldn’t know there was anything wrong. But living with the condition is a 24/7 thing. It has completely changed my life and, in different ways, affects every aspect of what I do. 

Eating and exercise can be tricky
Every time I eat, I need to think about how it is going to affect my sugar levels. As I have Type 1 diabetes, my pancreas cannot produce insulin and I need to inject myself with the hormone, usually five times daily, and attempt to replicate the work of the organ. 
Carbohydrates increase my blood sugar level, so every snack and meal is a maths challenge, requiring me to calculate how much insulin I need to inject to counteract the spike in my blood sugars. 

I love running and going to the gym,playing cricket, but this also affects my diabetes as too much exercise can make my blood sugar levels go dangerously low, while certain types can cause them to spike too high. 

I constantly need to check my sugars and adjust my insulin intake – no two days are the same! Exercise is good for me but it's certainly not a simple and straightforward endeavour. 
I have to constantly tell people that I didn’t get diabetes from eating sugar

Diabetes has a bad reputation and it is often the subject of jokes.

 I have found that most people don’t understand the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. I have Type 1 diabetes, which accounts for about 10 per cent of cases. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it’s not to do with being overweight and it isn’t currently preventable.  

People with Type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or the insulin they produce doesn’t work properly (known as insulin resistance) -  90 per cent of people with the condition have this form. They have developed the condition because of their family history, age, weight or ethnic background which puts them at increased risk. It starts gradually, usually later in life, and it can be years before they realize they have it. 

Living with diabetes day to day often causes a lot of feelings of guilt because when my blood sugar levels don’t do what they should do, it often leaves me feeling that it is my fault. What did I do or eat to make that happen? I wish people knew that even when you do everything right with diabetes, it can still go wrong and it doesn’t help when society often portrays the condition as something you brought on yourself and should feel guilty about. 
I never stop thinking about my diabetes
Diabetes is a complex health condition. Unfortunately, once you are diagnosed you can’t just be sent home from hospital with a straightforward prescription for medication to take every day for the rest of your life. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes - it’s just a treatment and I need to work really hard to make it work. So many little things affect my blood sugar levels, from exercise to stress to the temperature outside! If I don’t keep my diabetes under control and blood sugar levels within the recommended range then there is a high risk of developing some dangerous complications, including stroke, kidney disease and even amputation. 
I think about my diabetes all day long – even when I go to bed and try to switch off after a long day, I am worrying that my blood sugar levels could drop unexpectedly. It’s never ending with diabetes - you don’t get a day off and there are days when it’s the last thing I feel like dealing with, but I don't have a choice. It’s hard to be spontaneous when you are a Type 1, as you always need to think about how what you are doing will impact your diabetes.
But I still do the things I love
Although my diabetes is a large part of who I am, with the right understanding, education and medication, I can take control of my condition and still live the life that I choose. I was able to go onto a diabetes education course a few years ago, provided by the AIIMS, which really helped me to better understand how to manage my diabetes day to day. 
I found it invaluable and would encourage anyone else with the condition to find out more by asking their doctor or nurse. Along with raising awareness about how useful the courses are the charity wants to make sure they are available to everyone with diabetes across the India. Currently they are not. That is something that has to change.

These days, I am able to control my diabetes so it doesn’t control me.

 I can do any what which I want and eat the foods that I like. I am able to run and I am planning to play a cricket tournament. Having diabetes can be complicated but with the right support and understanding it doesn’t need to stop you from doing the things you love!

Youth Leaders @ Second Global NCD Alliance Forum called on CSO and government to step up the pace on NCDs.

Nada India at the Second Global NCD Alliance Forum (7-11 December 2017)

On December 7-11, Nada India’s youth advocate Vindhya was at the pre forum youth workshop and the second Global NCD Alliance Forum in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates!

The second Global NCD Alliance Forum was organized by the NCD Alliance (NCDA) in partnership with local host organization, Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP). 350 members of the NCD movement from 68 countries attended the Forum from 9 – 11 December in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. This year, an increased number of youth delegates and people living with NCDs participated in this unique event, which reflected the Forum’s objective to promote the engagement of the next generation and people living with NCDs as central parts of the NCD movement.

Vindhya was among the 22 youth delegates who called on their peers, CSO and government to step up the pace on NCDs. The enthusiasm and engagement of 22 youth delegates was reflected in the Youth Call to Action produced at the Forum, as a time-bound and measurable agenda for the next generation in the lead up to the 2018 UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs.

Global NCD Alliance Forum: Pre Forum Youth Workshop

Experiences shared, lessons learnt, and solutions discussed

The pre Forum Youth workshop developed a network of youth advocates focused on the non- communicable disease global agenda in the lead up to the UN High Level Meeting on NCDs in 2018

The focus was on how to engage the right people at the right time; i.e. mapping the key stakeholders, setting up the priorities and the importance and impact of these key priorities. The youth advocates were exposed to some excellent examples of successful stakeholder engagement and how it made an impact at local, national and global levels.

The key stakeholders identified by the youth advocates involved The Ministry of health, finance, social justice, youth, PLWNCDs, caregivers, WHO, private sector, pharmaceutical companies, Hospitals, NGOs...the list is endless but the one who can influence and is interested will lead. And what are the priorities for NCDs? Finance, awareness, access to health care, risk factors and youth behavior, prevention, youth participation, PLWNCDs and the commercial determinants of health.

The participation of youth and people living with NCDs is extremely important at all levels; we learnt how to develop a comprehensive agenda for young advocates using an integrated and inclusive approach keeping in mind that we need room for all, health for all.

“Jack Fischer from NCD Free told us why is it important to have a story to tell while pitching in for an idea. It is easier to connect when you have a real story equipped with facts to tell. There are more chances that the other person will actually listen to you when you can strike a connection. Find your story (could be yours, of a family member, friend or anyone who you know), equip it with facts and present it with your idea to bring in a social change in no more than 60 seconds. Always remember that the busy world doesn't have more than 60 seconds to listen to you and your story. So go and find your story to change the world.”- Vindhya, Youth Advocate, Nada India

Vindhya on behalf of Nada India also set up some commitments for #India at the Forum:

·         To mobilize youth in NCD response.

·         To promote the engagement and meaning involvement of people living with NCDs.

·         To mobilize and strengthen the civil society on my country.

Key highlights from the Pre Forum Youth Workshop

Priorities for “Youth”

·         Throughout the development of the health related frameworks, young people should be at the forefront in advocating for priorities to improve health and wellbeing.

·         Youth voices can put pressure on decision-makers to recognize and include issues that are often side lined, particularly related to alcohol and substance abuse.

·         Young people can develop grassroots campaigns on the prevention and management of alcoholism and should advocate for policy-level changes.

·         Many of these young people are researchers helping to generate evidence being used to support these changes.

·         As young people, they bring unique experiences and perspectives to health agendas and have a right to negotiate the future health of the communities in which we live.

·         Ahead of next year’s high level meeting, advocates must ensure that the priorities of young people are heard and acted upon at every level and that governments are held accountable to their health commitments.

·         Ensure universal and equitable access to high-quality, affordable, age-appropriate health care.

·         Scale up financing and resources for prevention, management, and treatment of NCDs across the life-course.

·         Raise awareness of children, adolescents, and young people, and sensitize government officials about the risk factors, prevalence, and impact of alcohol as one of the major risk factors.

Agenda Action for Youth

·         Advocacy for the prevention and control of alcoholism and drug abuse needs substantial input from youth as drivers of the next generation of innovative solutions and action for health.

·         Deliver youth-generated messages on awareness and advocacy priorities via social media, blogs, and other communication channels.

·         Measuring progress is essential to ensuring these steps achieve their intended results. We commit to monitoring delivery against these actions, as well as celebrating and learning from successes, and identifying further opportunities to sustain momentum towards next year’s meeting.

“We urge you to continue the conversations you started here. Continue communicating with partners – both old and new. Continue listening to and engaging the voices of the next generation. Continue agitating for change…for health equity…for the sake of every person living with or at risk of NCDs…for the sake of us all. – “Katie Dain, CEO, NCD Alliance

Hi I am a Nada Good Health Advocate living with addiction and NCDs.....

Hemant presented paining to NCD Alliance  

Hi I am a Nada Good Health Advocate...... Next month I am going to complete my 14 years of recovery from drugs & alcohol. For last  14 years I have been taking care of patients suffering from medical disorders like – diabetes, cancer, alcoholic lever disease and hyper tension.  These co-occurring medical problems make the treatment of substance use disorder a lot more difficult and risky. Therefore, training to handle these co-occurring disorders is very important for a person working in substance use disorder field. I believe prevention of NCDs is all in our attitudes and we need to change the attitude & belief of people towards #NCDs and people living with NCDs (#PLWNCDs).

I recently participated in the 'Our Voices Our Community' in Geneva and now will be applying my experience more confidently to handle such patients as a Nada volunteer, peer educator & care giver. The experience gained in the workshop will be utilized for the prevention of NCDs as part of alcohol & drug awareness programs. I also presented to the Nada India scroll of appreciation on behalf of Nada India NCD Network leadership to the NCD alliance.

I also gifted  one painting prepared by NCD peer educators and Good Health Advocates from Bapu camp Mandi village south Delhi slum. Nada India has been working with them for the last five years.

The painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through"      - Jackson Pollock
https://www.jackson-pollock.org

"The workshop focused on the needs and agenda from the perspective of the people suffering from NCDs themselves or caregivers to people suffering from NCDs. Several powerful personal stories were shared by participants on how they overcame the challenges of the diseases as well as became strong advocates for bringing treatment and diagnostics to people in their countries. There was a lot of discussion on identity, participation, voices, prevention, treatment, advocacy and commitment. The participants were divided into groups to discuss and debate on the agenda items and arrive at consensus as a larger group. The debates were invigorating and the group as a whole drafted the final advocacy agenda in its language, content and important points to be presented at the NCD Forum in Sharjah as stated by Dr. Ratna another participant from Dakshma India.