Tata Steel distributes 234 e-scooters among health workers in West Singhbhum

Chaibasa, March 20: After the first stint at Seraikela-Kharsawan district, e-scooters were distributed among Sahiyya Sathis (Accredited Social Health Activists or ASHA workers) associated with MANSI to address the issue of mobility in the difficult terrains of the West Singhbhum district. The programme took place at the Police Ground, Chaibasa where 234 e-scooters were distributed to address the issues related to prompt assistance to the pregnant women and neo-natal babies.

A total of 181 e-scooters were distributed on March 13, 2022 for Sahiyya Sathis across Saraikela Kharsawan while another 150 will be distributed on March 27, 2022 at East Singhbhum.

Present on the occasion, were Joba Majhi, Minister for Women, Child Development and Social Security, Jharkhand,  Niral Purty, MLA, Majhgaon.

Also present on the occasion were Ananya Mittal, Deputy Commissioner, West Singhbhum,  Ravi Jain, IAS, Assistant Collector, Dr. Buka Oraon, Civil Surgeon, West Singhbhum, Sourav Roy, Chief, Corporate Social Responsibility, Tata Steel and Adil Ghadiali, Vice President, HSBC, Mumbai.

Sourav Roy, Chief, Corporate Social Responsibility, Tata Steel said, “We have been working in tandem with the Sahiyya Sathis, ANMs and the state government to implement innovative public health solutions to scale sustainable impact. The electric scooters are a step ahead towards co-creation of public health solutions, which remains a commitment of Tata Steel Foundation. We have reached out to more than 34, 800 pregnant women and mothers through MANSI in the district and the e-scooters will ensure and greater reach and faster medical assistance. We are grateful to the district administration and HSBC as partners in this initiative.”

Tata Steel Foundation has collaborated with banking giant HSBC to devise 565 e-scooters to be distributed across these three locations of Seraikela Kharsawan, West Singhbhum and East Singhbhum. The Sahiyya Sathis are a part of the MANSI programme of the Foundation that is a community-focused public health intervention that addresses rural India’s challenges in accessing quality and affordable health care for mothers and new-born children at household level.

Prior to the distribution, adequate amount of training workshops was arranged and conducted for the Sahiyya Sathis to ensure their safety and driving skills are on point.

The initiative is taken after considering the lack of availability of electricity in the respective areas and therefore the e-scooters are devised in a way so that it takes only 15 amp of power for two and a half hours to get fully charged. They also do not require any driving license as it is below the crucial limit of power a vehicle requires to be considered a motor vehicle.

The Sahiyya Sathis have played one of the most fundamental roles in ensuring maternity and neo-natal health during the time of Covid-19 when transportation was almost at a halt. They selflessly have been the face of MANSI in reducing the neonatal deaths in Jharkhand and fortifying the healthcare system to remain prompt.