Anandanagar is a rural community of 55 villages and a population of over 100,000. It covers an area of 120 square kilometers, located deep in the countryside of Purulia district of West Bengal, in North-Eastern India.
It is in one of the poorest and most neglected parts of India. The tribal peoples of this area live in primitive conditions which have hardly improved in more than a century. They show most of the problems which rural people face around the world: lack of education (approx. 70% illiteracy), chronic disease (especially infectious diseases and malnutrition), starvation, lack of modern agricultural methods and lack of local industry.
The area has a very poor health infrastructure. Diseases such as TB, polio, leprosy, gastro-enteritis and malaria are widespread in the region. Many women die during childbirth due to a complete lack of maternity services. Due to poor or inadequate training, the village doctors often fail to recognize life-threatening.
The Ananda Nagar Development Society has launched several projects to meet the health needs of this region including a Charitable Composite Hospital, women’s health camps, eye operation camps, and mobile medical units.