SEARCH receives WHO - India Public Health Champion Award

Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH), a Gadchiroli-based NGO, was awarded with WHO - India Public Health Champion Award- 2016.
The award was presented by Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India, to Dr Abhay Bang, founder and Director of SEARCH at the national consultation commemorating the World Health Day recently in New Delhi.
The award acknowledges public health champions to honour and recognise the efforts of both, individual(s) and institution(s) who have made an exceptional contribution to public health through advocacy for and involvement in impactful health policies, a SEARCH release said.
SEARCH, a non-governmental organisation, works with the tribal and non-tribal rural population of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra with regard to healthcare.

Research by the organisation in HBNC (Home Based New Born Care) has been replicated as Ankur (project) in Maharashtra, as installation of ASHA workers in India, and in action across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Nepal, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia working at grassroots with tribal women, the release said.
After bringing about a ban on alcohol in the district in 1993, it is presently, working on effective implementation of the ban on alcohol and tobacco in the district.
SEARCH is also working on stroke, the leading cause of death in Gadchiroli, accounting for one out of every seven deaths in the entire population.

Dr Bang, an eminent public health expert and social activist, founded SEARCH along with his wife Dr Rani Bang, who together have worked towards various health issues of the district.