JHARKHAND: Sumitra Gagrai, 31, has been working in the field of mental health for 12 years and has changed lives of more than 36,000 tribal women by reducing maternal and neonatal deaths in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
Born into the indigenous Ho tribe, she has fought poverty and illness to emerge as a revolutionary health-change agent in Jharkhand. Besides mental health, she also works for reducing malnourishment among children, crime against women and children as well as decreasing the infant mortality rate, for which she was honoured with ‘Woman Exemplar Award’ in the category of health by CII-Foundation in 2020.
Sumitra joined ‘EKJUT’, a pioneering rural health programme, at the age of 17 when she was struggling with her own health challenges. She has now become a ground-up health champion. By building linkages between maternal and neonatal health, nutrition, gender-based violence and mental health, Sumitra has spawned a culture of health awareness and care in West Singhbhum, a district in Jharkhand with very poor health indicators.
Since she came from a very poor family, Sumitra had to suffer a lot after she got married and gave birth to two daughters as her in-laws wanted a son. She was tortured physically and mentally by her in-laws and was threatened by her husband that he would get re-married if she failed to bear a son.
Due to regular torture, Sumitra developed mental health problems. Since she was attached to a local self-help group, she contacted her seniors who talked to her husband and succeeded in making her see reason. “Now, I am living happily with my husband and three daughters. Though I overcame my problems, the sad episode of my life prompted me to contemplate the reasons behind my condition,” said Sumitra.
Another shock came her way when her 16-year-old younger sister, who had some mental health problems, committed suicide by jumping before a train in 2011. Sumitra feels the life of her sister could have been saved had she been given support from family members. “So, I decided to work in the field of mental health and started counselling people who suffered from such problems,” she said.
Sumitra joined EKJUT, which is working against domestic violence, witchcraft, neo-natal deaths and malnutrition. EKJUT members were required to hold regular meetings with village women to understand their problems.
“In 2016-17, when I was holding a meeting at a village in Chakradharpur Block, I observed a woman hearing us patiently from a distance for quite some time, but she did not participate in the meeting,” recalled Sumitra. Curious to know about her, Sumitra went to her house after the meeting.
“While talking to her, I found that had attempted suicide several times as she believed the people would kill her if she did not end her life,” said Sumitra. She decided to help her and consulted her seniors who arranged online psychiatrists for Sumitra to assess that woman’s condition. The doctors, after talking to her on the telephone, declared that she is suffering from a mental problem and advised her to get her treated at RINPAS in Ranchi.
“After treatment for over a year, the woman has completely recovered and does all her household chores. Earlier, her husband, due to ignorance, got her treated with black magic, but all in vain,” she added. Basmati Tanti, who recovered from mental illness, has all praise for Sumitra. “I am perfectly alright and able to do all my work, though I am still under medication,” said Tanti.
Satyapal Jamuda, 42, too, was suffering from mental illness due to which he was unable to do any work. “I had not been well for seven-eight years. No one really took care of me. Sumitra convinced my family members that my problem was curable if they take care of me. Now I am supporting my family by working the fields and selling the produce in the market on my own,” says Jamuda. Basmati and Satyapal are among 100 people helped by Sumitra. She is instrumental in the recovery of 85 of them.