About - Health Action by People
Health Action by People (HAP) is a not-for-profit organization registered on December 1, 1993 (Registration No.747), under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act (Act XII) of 1955. HAP works at the interface of health and development. It is led by a group of professionals sharing a common vision and ideal, that health is a key component in development, both as an input and as an outcome worth cherishing. HAP is in the forefront in health education, public health research and health policy interventions in Kerala.
Mission
To encourage people’s action to promote health and development. HAP’s mission evolves from the belief that People are capable of taking responsible actions for furthering health and development. HAP believes in the "Family of Man" that knows no barriers of national boundaries, religion, caste or creed. Nevertheless, HAP attaches considerable importance to involvement in local issues and problems. Think globally, act locally is our motto.
As per the Memorandum of Association and the Rules and Regulations, the aims and objectives of HAP are the following:
- Create Awareness among the people on the importance of the individual, family and societal level actions to usher in health for the people.
- Generate people’s participation in actions aimed at improving quality of life.
- Undertake innovative action research involving people, aimed at cost-effective and culturally accepted health interventions.
- Generate people’s movements against exploitation of health by vested interests in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and related consumer industries.
- Undertake production of information packages with a view to achieve the objectives 1-4 above.
- Collaborate with national and international bodies/agencies involved in health promotion.
- Undertake any activity approved by the Executive Council of the HAP aimed at generating funds for carrying on with the objectives.
Recognition by Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)
- Health Action by People has been granted recognition by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO), under the Scheme on Scientific and Industrial Research Organisations (SIROs)-1988.
Dr CR Soman (1937-2009), our founder Chairman, was a visionary, teacher, orator, writer and researcher. All of us at HAP cherish his memory. Dr Soman, in his life and work, demonstrated that professional output of the highest caliber need not conflict with compassion and sensitivity for the most marginalized people
Professor Soman, who qualified as a medical doctor, further specialised in Biochemistry and Nutrition. He has many publications in the field of Biochemistry and Nutrition to his credit and has served as consultant to various organisations like CARE, UNICEF and WHO and as visiting Professor at many Universities in India and abroad. He has visited several countries as a consultant and public health evangelist. His key areas of interests were health policy, public health nutrition and health education.
Professor Soman spent over 30 years in the Medical College, Trivandrum from where he retired as the Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Nutrition (1992), before becoming the Chairman of Health Action by People [HAP], he founded. Through HAP he focused his energies on health policy issues, public health nutrition and health education.
A Natural Communicator, Dr Soman could handle with ease any topic from art to literature to science to technology to health and medicine. It would be more appropriate to say that he was also a medical professional among so many things. He was a natural communicator as a teacher, as a health activist, as a conference chair, as a Quiz Master or as a TV commentator. He could communicate with ease or field questions with clarity and dexterity. Whenever there was an issue related to public health or medical profession, media rushed to him to seek his rather dispassionate opinion. He has authored eight books and published several research papers in Indian and International journals.
Under Dr Soman’s dynamic leadership HAP undertook several landmark research programs and public health activities.
Dr. C R Soman’s illustrious career came to an abrupt end at 2.55 pm on 6 Nov 2009 following a massive heart attack and cardiac arrest in his home town, Trivandrum, India.
Authorities Of HAP
- Executive Council
- Chief Functionaries of HAP
A team of distinguished professionals sharing the same commitment and vision guides HAP The Executive Council consists of 7 members elected from among the GB members. The General Body, consisting of 13 members has its annual meetings in May every year. The GB can review the activities of HAP and make suggestions for the proper conduct of the administration of HAP. The members of the Executive Council are elected in the Annual Meetings of the General Body every three years.The EC is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of HAP and shall function under the overall direction of the General Body. The specific duties and powers of the Executive Council are:
- The Executive Council shall have the power to frame bye-laws, amend or repeal bye-laws for the furtherance of the objectives of HAP and in particular to provide for recruitment and terms of office of the staff and relating to matters of appointment.
- The Executive Council shall be responsible for the implementation of its decisions and shall have power to take such actions as may be necessary for the furtherance of the objectives of the HAP and in particular to provide the following matters.
The members of the Executive Council are:
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| 1 |  |
Dr. V.Raman Kutty |
Chairman |
| 2 |  |
Dr. K.Vijayakumar |
Secretary |
| 4 | Dr. Ramdas Pisharody |
Executive Member |
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| 5 | Dr. K.P.Aravindan |
Executive Member |
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| 6 | Dr. Biju Soman |
Executive Member |
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| 8 | Dr. K.Rajamohanan |
Executive Member |
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| 11 | Dr. Sanjeev Nair |
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The Chief Functionaries of HAP Other than Executive committee are:
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| 1 |  |
Mr. CG Devarajan |
Administration & Finance Officer |
| 2 |  |
Mr. K Ajayan |
Sr. Project Officer - Research |
| 3 |  |
Mr. K Gopakumar |
Project Associate |
| 4 |  |
Dr. Rajasree Gopinath |
Counsultant |
| 5 |  |
Ms. Sucharitha K |
Senior Accountant |
| 6 |  |
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| 8 |  |
Mr. G. Ratheesh |
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| 5 |  |
Ms. Rema Devi LS |
Data Entry Operator |
| 9 |  |
Ms. Nisha S Chandran |
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| 10 |  |
Ms. Reshmi G Kumar |
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| 11 |  |
Ms. S.Asha |
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| 12 |  |
Ms. Remya Raj |
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| 13 |  |
Ms. R.Tesi |
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| 14 |  |
Mr. M.S.Sumith |
Field Assistant |
| 15 |  |
Mr. C.V.Renjith |
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| 16 |  |
Ms. R.Priya |
Laboratory Assistant |
| 17 |  |
Mr. S.Jithu |
Driver cum Assistant |
| 18 |  |
Ms. K.Padmavathi Amma |
House Keeper |