Ketaki Das
Biography
She did Ph.D. in Anthropology, Indian Statistical Institute & Calcutta University, Calcutta 1994,M.Sc in Anthropology, Calcutta University, Calcutta, 1985,B.Sc (Hons), Calcutta University, 1982
Awards:
•Obtained Junior and Senior Research Fellowship from Indian Statistical Institute, 1987 & 1989
•Received YOUNG SCIENTIST AWARD by Indian Society of Human Genetics, 1991
•Obtained an independent project in `YOUNG SCIENTIST SCHEME’ of Dept. Science&Technology (DST), GOI, 1995
•Obtained Pool Officer ship by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), GOI, 1998
Experience:
•Conducted fundamental and action research, Need assessment, Baseline survey, impact assessment
•Research designing and implementation, strategy design, data analysis and technical editing
•24 years of work experience and in depth understanding of development issue
•Project planning and management
•Project monitoring & evaluation and appraisal
•Networking with the national/international development sector and local governments for handling large scale development initiatives and projects
•Experience in local health system strengthening
•Supervision of infrastructure project, public consultation including consultation with the stakeholders’ communities, NGOs, and relevant government agencies, carrying out social impact screening, social impact assessment (SIA), need assessment, impact assessment and preparation of reports on macro level policies and strategies
•25 scientific papers published in reputed National and International journals
Research Interest
Guest Lecturer in Health Care and Hospital Management, IISWBM Calcutta University (2015-2017)
Guest Lecturer in Anthropology, Post Graduate Studies, Dept. of Anthropology, Calcutta University (1996-97)
Guest Lecturer in Anthropology, Post Graduate Studies, Dept. of Anthropology, Vidyasagar University (1998-2005)
Abstract
Community Driven Approach to enable the Voices of People for Better Healthcare Utilization and Strengthening an Equitable Health System – A Study in 5 Districts of West Bengal, India
Community-driven approaches - an integrated bottom-up development and new paradigm in public health, promote efficient and community-focused actions to strengthening health system requires the behaviour-change. Health system cannot be managed clinically alone, behaviour-change is essential for both service recipients/providers, which plays a vital role in effecting sustainable change.
The Basic Health Care Support Program (BHCSP) collaborates closely with marginalized groups in unserved/underserved rural areas in 5 districts of West Bengal - a holistic approach to capacity-building/capacity-bridging for community members and stakeholders to promote behavioural-change, support best practices and partnerships, which helps in integrating the skills/knowledge of service recipients/providers and decision makers to achieve enhanced healthcare utilization and health outcomes. BHCSP is involving local communities to increase awareness on their rights, empower informed decisions and promote quality health services, by working together to identify issues and negotiate with service providers for solutions, gaining experience and exerting influence in their own lives, which fosters a multi-stakeholder dynamics by identifying operational/policy gaps, providing services and enhancing the Health System, provide insights on their presence/role and raising voices in advocacy/interfaces between service providers and decision-makers. Qualitative/quantitative methods were used to understand the process.
The decisions of communities were expressed by organizing, participation in committees, submitting charter of demands, advocacy and interface meetings etc. BHCSP worked people-with-power from advocacy perspectives and people-without-power through empowerment process, that provides opportunities to create new power for people and address the challenges in existing power imbalances and supports sustainable development. People voices strive for recognition and correction of power imbalances which strengthening an equitable health system.
