Conversations on Public Health – Details, episodes & analysis

Warning: This content might trigger some people

The 2nd wave has brought into wide public attention the inadequate supply chain of various essential drugs and equipment, most notably Oxygen. Visuals of desperate families and friends scrambling for the gas will remain a part of our collective memory for a long long time. 

Though Oxygen shortage is an issue that came into the fore recently, as a public health consultant, Abhishek Tupe has been engaging with it for years now.

In this short and crisp episode, Abhishek breaks down India's Oxygen supply chain for us. Tune in to hear about the three basic ways in which Oxygen is produced. We speak about Oxygen PSA Plants, industrially produced Medical Oxygen (INOX and Linde), and the now ubiquitous Oxygen Concentrators. These three options provide drastically different solutions for what Covid-19 made an almost household problem. They differ in costs, method and point of production and capacity. 

(Abhishek Tupe is a Public Health Consultant who has worked with leading Non Profit Organisations across India and Africa. He holds an MA in Economics from Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune)

That India's inadequately funded public health system would be able to bear the burden of a pandemic was nobody's expectation. The colossal failure though, has taken almost everybody by surprise. The private sector was unable to keep up with a demand that almost no one forecasted, and the lack of basic drugs and supplies compounded the problem to a point where this tragedy will be remembered as the darkest days in Independent India's history.

With many examples from rural India and her native Orissa, Sweta Dash explains to us what is unfolding in India's hinterland. As Covid 19 makes inroads in previously unchartered territories, we must contend that most of these stories will never reach us. In this insightful discussion, Sweta tells us about the structure of public health facilities in rural India, the state of healthcare workers, the surprising lack of data in a regime where data collection is a huge part of a healthcare worker's daily routine, and why the public needs to be taken into confidence to turn the tide against this pandemic.

(Sweta Dash is an independent researcher and journalist. Her work can be found on TelegraphGHS, EPW, Wire, DC, Article14, FirstPost, Caravan, GC and Swaddle. She tweets @SwetaDash93)

In this episode, we invite Samira Satija to speak about all things Waste. How we handle our waste is an important indicator of our living standard. It is no secret that waste mismanagement is probably the largest determinant of our health in today's time. Samira is the founder of "Crockery Bank for Everyone", and truly embodies the virtues of a golden citizen. Tune on to here more about: What is Waste, really? Waste Mismanagement- What are the effects of it- Visible and invisible How is waste a public health problem? The Story of Crockery Bank for Everybody Why do we continue to use products that are harmful for us? What are the few steps we can take to be more waste conscious?

Our conversation today explores the intersections of culture, generational trauma, mental health and millennials- often touted as the "therapy generation".  The influence of culture and society on mental health is immense. Culture is a strong, and sometimes invisible underlying thread in most of our daily interactions. But more importantly, it is a major determinant of our relationship with ourselves. It gives us the vocabulary that can both limit and promote our self awareness, and how we choose to deal with the mental strains of cohabiting an increasingly globalised, interconnected world.  Riddhika Bhandari is a Bangalore based counsellor. She holds an M Sc in Work Psychology and brings a unique understanding of culture to her practice, using both holistic and alternative techniques of psychotherapy. Tune in to hear about: How culture impacts mental health What kind of stigma exists around mental health The issues that millennials usually employ mental health services for How culture contributes to mental health issues that millennials face Generational and Intergenerational trauma

One of the greatest challenges of any Public Health project is taking information effectively to vulnerable populations. More often than not, the target demographic is uneducated, unconvinced or simply doesn't have the time to hear what the government has to say through its educational posters, pamphlets or radio content. This is where video content comes in. As a medium that is conducive to engaging, memorable and convincing content, it holds immense promise. 

Ananya Roy is a Bangalore based documentary film maker who's work has found viewership on various platforms including Netflix, Youtube and various Film Festivals throughout the world. In the course of this insightful 30 minute conversation, we discuss:

1. Why Video over other forms of content?
2. How does one go about the process of creating engaging content?
3. Why is research a crucial first part of any kind of content creation?
4. How do you touch sensitive topics while speaking to subjects?
5. Is funding really all that important?
6. Are government ads at a disadvantage because they are perceived to be boring?
7. What potential does cinema hold as a medium of behaviour change?
8. As a medium of information, how important is initiative within community?

Short-forms used in the conversation:

• PSA= Public Service Announcement
• IEC= Information Education Communication

Sarika Panda Bhatt is a woman on a mission. She is the Co Founder of Raahgiri Day, India's first car free day campaign, and is a leading voice on road design and safety. In this very interesting 30 minute chat, we speak about what it will take to make Indian roads safer. Tune in to hear about:

1. How do policy makers, planners and engineers think about road design?
2. New Motor Vehicle Act, 2019- Do regulations help create better roads?
3. Do we need a radical shift in how we plan our cities?
4. What will it take to build climate change resilient cities for the future?
5. Are futuristic technologies the way to go?
6. How can concerned citizens emulate Raahgiri Day like initiatives in their own cities?

This unique organisation is tackling Gurgaon's water problems head on! In this episode, we speak to Shubhi Kesarwani of GuruJal. In an insightful 30 minute chat, we talk about how Gurujal is coordinating and spearheading what is probably the largest movement to clean and maintain ponds across Gurgaon. Tune in to hear about:

1. How GuruJal functions
2. Why they chose to work with Waste Water Ponds
3. The unique 10 step process they follow to clean ponds
4. How their work affects the local community
5. How they plan to sustain the impact

GuruJal is always looking for folks who are passionate about the cause. If you're like to get involved with GuruJal, drop them a mail at management@gurujal.org or reach out to them through their various social media handles!

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) impact 1 billion people across the globe. On the occasion of World NTD Day, we got the NTD specialist Dr Debajit Sarkar to talk to us about NTDs. Dr Sarkar is the Divisional Head (East) at GLRA India. He holds about 15 Years of experiences in Public Health across different portfolios in the rural health system as well as urban slums and with marginalised populations.

Tune in to hear about:

1. What are NTDs? And why are people talking about them?
2. What is the social impact of such diseases?
3. What is the best way to prevent and treat such diseases?
4. What are our key learnings in the process of supporting NTD work throughout the country?
5. Future plans, how can India support other countries in the fight against NTDs

We live gendered lives. What this means is that our experiences in life vary greatly depending on the gender we identify with.

In this episode, we talk to the calm and composed Sapna Kedia. Sapna is a Technical Specialist with the ICRW,  and has over 10 years of experience working with issues around Social Inclusion and Gender. Sapna refers to various organisations in our 25 minute chat. You can find links to their websites here:

1. MASUM
2. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
3. David and Lucile Packard Foundation
4. TARSHI
5. Women in Global Health (Sapna is a Founding Member of its India Chapter)
   

Tune in to hear about:

• Sapna's background in Public Health
• How the Public Health system looks at Women's Health
• How biases of Service Providers (doctors, nurses, field workers) reinforce gender stereotypes
• What women's leadership for women's health looks like
• What are Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights
• Why it is crucial to engage with male partners, and hold them accountable
• Why and how we need to be prepared for the long haul when it comes to shifting societal mindsets
• How it takes all types of organisations to shift the lever on Gender Issues
  

Reach out to us at conversationsonpublichealth@gmail.com

(The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of their employers)

This episode is a continuation of our previous one. Backed by some incredible experience, Tanya shares her insights on water security, climate change, accountability and policy making! Tanya is a young professional with over 8 years of experience in the social and public health space. Tanya refers to several documents, reports and programs in our short 18 minute chat. 

You can find these here: 

1. National Family Health Survey - 4 (2015-16)
2. National Family Health Survey - 5 (2019-20)
3. Har Ghar Jal
4. National Water Mission
5. Common Application Software

Tune in to hear about: 

• How we ended up with different kinds of water contamination
• How contaminated water impact nutrition outcomes
• What interventions are possible today, and what problems exist with them
• Why it is important to set realistic policy targets
• How policy is now customised to reflect context
• Climate change, and what it means for nutrition and water security
• Policy Strategy vs Policy Implementation
• Policy- Futuristic or Retrospective?

Reach out to us at conversationsonpublichealth@gmail.com

 (The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of their employers)