An ounce of evidence is worth a thousand pounds of opinion.
-Dr Ashish Jha
With the tremendous support and love from its supporters and well-wishers, Asha never loses any of the opportunities to make its slum dwellers learn and grow. Dr Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH, Director, Harvard Global Health Institute, K. T. Li Professor and Dean for Global Strategy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School paid a visit to Asha on December 3 along with his team of four from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Dr Ashish, Dr Ambika, Dr Mahrokh, Patrick Whitney (Professor in Residence at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) and Natalie Kopp (International Development Officer, Office of External Relations also with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) took around the Asha Polyclinic. The team met the doctors, the Asha team and the Community Health Volunteers (CHVs). They had an intense discussion on the impact of Asha’s health services that was initiated by Dr Kiran Martin in the slum communities of Delhi.
Later, the Asha staff took them to the Kusumpur Pahari slum community where a heartfelt welcome was given to Dr Ashish and the Harvard team. Post introduction session, he talked with the Mahila Mandal and Bal Mandal on the social determinants of health.
They all were amazed to see the College Students and Graduates, who belong to such underprivileged section of the society, speaking fluent English. The laudable initiatives of the Asha’s Mahila Mandal (Women’s Association) and the determination of the Asha students earned the tokens of appreciation from the team.
He also visited the community and met the slum dwellers to understand how the team works on the ground and praised the work of Asha among the most vulnerable and poor.
