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REDUCING INEQUALITIES


INTRODUCTION
For a nation to flourish, equality must prevail in society. It can be achieved when all are given equal opportunities, with no discrimination. In today’s world, global inequality affects everyone equally.

A country can surface out of poverty when it ensures balance among its three pillars - economic, social and environmental sectors. According to the World Inequality report 2020, the top 1% captured 21% of national income in 2019 compared with 11% in 1990. It shows that India’s income inequality levels are constantly rising. We must address societal inequality issues that will accelerate poverty reduction and establish sustainable national growth.

India has built its national developmental agenda on “Collective Effort and Inclusive Development”. India is striving relentlessly to reduce inequality in all sectors. Universities can contribute to this cause through policies and assertive efforts that give disadvantaged and underrepresented populations equal opportunities. Nitte (DU) provides equal access to health care and education at institutional and community levels

2. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE SDG
Nitte (DU) is committed to providing equal opportunities in Health Care, Education and Employment. It harbours an inclusive work culture wherein all employees are treated with respect and dignity. Any workplace discrimination based on gender, religion, sex, disability status, sexual orientation or religious belief is prohibited. Dedicated platforms such as Equal Opportunity Cell are constituted at the university level to support and supervise equity on campus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CELL
This cell was formed to offer comprehensive services and support systems for students with disabilities and disadvantaged groups. It provides social justice to all without any discrimination.

Vision and Mission
  • The positive action in favour of the marginalized students.
  • Implementation of provisions and policies for students with disabilities.
  • Providing required support systems for students with disabilities and underrepresented groups.
  • Ensuring non-discrimination for underprivileged and marginalized students
  • Creating a barrier-free environment in the University for Persons with Disabilities
  • Ensure accessible reading material for students with visual impairment


3. INFRASTRUCTURE:
DISABLE - FRIENDLY, BARRIER-FREE ENVIRONMENT
The institution has a disable- friendly and barrierfree environment.

  • Ramps and lifts for easy access to various speciality departments.
  • Lifts are large and spacious, which can accommodate wheelchairs and stretchers easily.
  • Elevators are made accessible to the visually impaired and blind.
  • Disable-friendly washrooms and corridors are provided with railings
  • The campus also possesses blind-friendly tiles.
  • Our website is accessible for visually impaired students with screen reading software
  • Information regarding help and assistance provided by the University is displayed in prominent places to enable democratic usage of the facilities.





ACCESS TO SCHOOLS: FREE BUS FACILITY FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED AND GIRL STUDENTS:
Children of underrepresented or poor communities from distant areas are often deprived of education due to the lack of transport facilities. Providing motorable access to children far from any road can increase the enrollment of disadvantaged groups in schools.

Buses of the Nitte (DU) fleet are offered as school buses to local school underprivileged children free of cost. These schools are governmentfunded, and the beneficiaries are the needy and destitute children of the locality and the neighbouring villages, especially girls. Nitte (DU) also provides free bus facilities regularly to several schools for camps, tours, social awareness programs etc. Four schools catering to the need of 225 children are the beneficiaries of this transport facility.



Nitte buses offered as free school buses to local schools.

DELIVERY OF FREE/ SUBSIDIZED HEALTH CARE:
Providing concessions and considerations in addressing health care need to overcome inequality

Justice K.S Hegde Charitable trust hospital, an eminent part of our University, functions mainly by helping individuals availing of healthcare needs from a different class of society. The aim is to provide everyone with excellent service, ensuring equality in meeting treatment needs. Various cards from central and state government schemes are accepted in our hospital, providing a fee cutoff of the total expenditure during the treatment. Individuals are provided with a complete waiver of fees on admission into general wards for child birth and skin-related diseases.



The inclusion of cards in our hospital, like BPL, Ayushmann Bharath, and ESI, is a great benefit to individuals who otherwise cannot avail the best treatment, thereby balancing the treatment availability striking down the inability to access the same because of their economical constraints thereby balancing equality in health care across the beneficiaries.

KSHEMA health cards can also be availed in the hospital, which qualifies the holder for a reduced fee for treatment and subsidies, a yearly renewal scheme. The staff, including the University teaching and non-teaching faculties, are provided with NU-CARE health cards with maximum benefit. Under the card, free treatment will be provided to the staff and their family group, including free-of-cost treatment in general wards with minimum charges for consumables and a 40% deduction in special wards. Definitive health care is a right of every individual; hence our University, through various concessions, addresses the health care needs of various sections of society, staff and students, which accounts for many beneficiaries.

EDUCATION FOR UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS
EDUCATION FOR UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS
UNESCO has adopted the Yuelu Proclamation, which calls upon the international community and organizations to reach a global consensus on the protection and promotion of linguistic diversity. It is imperative to place all indigenous languages on equal footing to promote social inclusion and national solidarity. Tulu is one of the earliest Dravidian languages with a history of 200 years and is spoken by people of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod of Kerala. The community is making all efforts to include Tulu in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

Nitte (DU) has taken the initiative towards protecting and promoting the minority language of Tulu by uplifting Tulu’s heritage and culture. Centre for Tulu Studies for research work on Tulu heritage and regional culture has been established. It has a well-developed Tulu library and access to ‘Tulu Jnatipadoksha’, a cognate dictionary. Professional teachers conduct Tulu classes for new learners. The Center encourages the collection and restoration of Tulu artefacts, Compilation of Tri-lingual English- KannadaTulu Dictionary, Provides guidance to research scholars and conducts Guest lectures on Tulurelated themes. The Centre also reassures classes in other languages, such as Malayalam and Kannada, for students from different states.

In 2021, the Centre started a certificate course in spoken Tulu and Kannada languages titled “TULU TERIYONGA” and “THILI KANNADA”, aiming to gain fundamental understanding and communication to help students converse better in these local languages.



NAMASTE
(North East States of Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Tripura)

Center for Studies on the North Eastern States

The northeastern region of India is traditionally underrepresented in Higher Education Institutions across India. Hence, Nitte University started NAMASTE to create academic opportunities for the underprivileged students from NAMASTE states (North East States of Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Tripura) aiming to support students of northeastern states and promoting their culture.

NITTE – NAMASTE is a scholarship program started in 2018-19 in support of the government of India’s scheme “Ishan Uday” to provide scholarships (Tuition Fee-Waiver) to meritorious but economically backward students hailing from northeastern states of India. By far, 33 students have received a scholarship through NITTE-NAMASTE.





7. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
ONE DAY DENTURE CAMPS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE:
The absence of teeth decreases efficient speaking and difficulty in chewing. It reduces food intake, and facial appearance changes drastically, reducing their interest in public events. It affects the confidence and urge to live everyday life. Also, difficulty in mastication narrows their food preference. The concept of a single-day FREE denture camp was initiated to provide oral health care for edentulous geriatric patients from rural areas at their doorsteps as elderly patients have economic constraints and find it challenging to visit Dental Surgeons multiple times. The idea was conceptualized for the first time in the country way back in the year 1990, till now 73 camps not only at various places in Karnataka but also in neighbouring states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Nearly 3000 edentulous patients to date are treated free of cost, providing equal rights to live a normal life and improving their confidence. Various camps were conducted at Nitte, Bailoor, Dabbekatte, Madikeri, Vamadapadav, Farangiapete, Somvarpet, Chintamani, Byndoor, Karakala, Bramhavar and Hassan.









Recently our institute A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte (DU), along with Sindhi Youth Forum Charitable Trust, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and RVS Dental college entered Limca Book of Records 2020–2022 for a maximum number of complete Denture prepared and delivered in a single day. The event was called “Gift a Smile” and was held at Coimbatore, where 149 completely edentulous patients benefited.

N SPECC - Nitte Special Child Care
Nitte special child care is a project of Nitte University in collaboration with Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan, Government of India. N–SPECC offers comprehensive medical and dental treatments;

sponsors aids and corrective surgeries for underprivileged children. Special educators are appointed to pick the needy Children from specific clusters of the south Canara region. They are brought to K.S Hegde charitable hospital and A.B Shetty institute of dental sciences, Nitte University, to deliver treatments.

The aids and equipment sponsored through N-SPECC from 2015- 2021 are five walkers, 38 wheelchairs, 11 cerebral palsy aids, one waterbed, eight airbeds, 11 spectacles, four hearing aids, one surgical shoe, three tricycle and 26 food kits.

In 2021, the Covid safe project - ‘COVID-19 vaccination for all, an awareness program for government, aided, unaided teachers and special educators of Mangalore taluk, private schools and private trusts were organized to spread awareness of covid- 19 vaccination in and around Mangalore.







Wheel chairs delivered to special children through N-SpeCC.

N-SPECC COVID - vaccination awareness program for government aided, unaided school teachers.

An awareness program for government aided school teachers.

Nitte (DU) reaches out to the rural population:
FREE HEALTH CARE THROUGH 21 RURAL HEALTH CENTRES.
Nitte (DU) has established 21 Rural Satellite Health Centers to reach the rural population to improve accessibility, availability and affordability of health care and promote health awareness in rural areas with minimal access to health care.

Rural communities from 21 villages are availing free outpatient medical and/or dental care daily, with more than 2,50,000 beneficiaries each year

FREE SPECIALIST CARE THROUGH 2 RURAL HOSPITALS - Specialist medical and dental care is provided at a subsidized cost at two rural hospitals with specialist cadre doctors.



NICAT- NITTE INTEGRATED CARE FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITY Koraga is an aboriginal tribe in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in Karnataka. Though the koragas are tribals, they are regarded as ceremonially impure and unclean in the local Hindu society and considered untouchable by the mainstream social group. Koragas are perhaps the most backward among tribes of Karnataka and Kerala. Children of the koraga family lack basic amenities such as nutritious food, shelter and primary education; the conventional education system remains unfriendly to the koraga children since most of them, being first-generation literates, suffer from inferiority complexes. Following the demands from district

Koraga Okkoota and Samagra Grameena Ashram, a social pressure group working for the welfare of koragas, a unique residential school was set up to provide academic coaching to high schools. Due to a lack of personal hygiene, the Children of this community usually suffer from poor oral health, skin infections, respiratory infections and diarrhoeal diseases. Among skin infections, scabies and dermatitis are the two significant health problems. Since educating children on good hygiene is the best way to avoid the spread of infections and disorders, the department of pediatric and preventive dentistry, in collaboration with Dr B. S Hemalatha, K.A.S, coordinator, integrated tribal development program, Mangalore and Nitte Usha institute of nursing sciences, Nitte (DU) started NICAT on

24th August 2016 with the objectives to focus on educating, improving their oral and personal hygiene practices by addressing their specific medical/ dental problem and provide personal hygiene packages. The program is ongoing with success and appreciation.

N-BRITE - School Dental Health Programs
N-BRITE was developed to deliver oral health care to children from communities with unmet dental care needs. N-BRITE stands for the NITTE BRIGHT TEETH program. It focuses on a “Bright smile for a Healthy Future.” The program aims at providing free dental treatment to children of all ages in the best possible manner. This is an initiative by the Dept. of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry. Screening camps are conducted in schools, Anganwadi and orphanages to assess the prevalence of dental disease and the treatment needs of the target population.

Seven schools have been adopted as an initial step based on the area and location of schools.

  • 1. Bala Samrakhshana Kendra, Kuthar.
  • 2. Shri Ramakrishna Primary and Higher Primary School, Harekala.
  • 3. Central Model Boarding School, Madhya, Surathkal
  • 4. Government Higher Primary School, Ubaradka, Mithoor, Sullia
  • 5. Koraga Residential School, Kadri
  • 6. Holy Angels School, Permannur.
  • 7. Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Alike


Apart from these institutions, camps have also been conducted at rural locations such as Hutti and Gogi in Raichur district, Malappuram district (Kerala), Mulki and Kinnigoli. These camps provide dental care to the underprivileged population who do not have access to dental services. Camps have also been held at Canara Primary School, Cambridge International School,

Prestige International School, Government Higher Primary School in Jeppinamogaru, Kanachur School and De Mercy Orphanage at Paneer



SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTIVITIES
Nitte (DU) is engaged in sustained social responsibility activities. The University has taken the lead under the Vittiya Saksharta Abhiyan Ministry of Human resources Development program and collaborated with Syndicate Bank to transform a village (Munnur Village) into a Cashfree Village. Students of the University, including NSS volunteers, participated in this effort to educate and encourage the villagers to adopt digital transactions. A national-level study on the penetration of digital banking practice in rural India was conducted in association with the University of Pennsylvania.



A Disaster Response Cell draws volunteers from across the constituent units of the institution. It has provided medical expertise, general

volunteer help, rescue supplies and monetary contributions over the years. Recent examples include:

  • 1. The 2018 floods in Karnataka-Kerala - Medical team of specialists provided care to those affected in the aftermath of the devastating floods. In addition, contributions of Rs.40 lakhs each were made to the Chief Ministers Relief Funds of Karnataka and Kerala.
  • 2. The 2015 Nepal Earthquake - A team of Doctors, Dentists, Physiotherapists and Counsellors reached Nepal within 48 hours of the major earthquake on 2-04- 2015 and provided medical assistance and general volunteering services. A monetary contribution towards relief efforts followed this up.


SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL - LECTURE SERIES
An online lecture titled “Difference between equity and equality, need for equity in higher educational organizations” was organized by A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences in association with the Staff Development Centre, Nitte (DU), on 10th December 2021 to sensitize every employee about the importance of equity and equality in the workplace. The programme was organized and executed under the guidance of Prof. Dr Smitha Hegde, SDG 10 coordinators Dr Meghna Bhandary and Dr. Nireeksha. The resource person was Dr. Veena Santhosh Rai, L.L.M., MBS, PhD. This lecture highlighted the difference between equity and equality in various organizations and how it is the duty of various educational and other universities stakeholders to work for the betterment of employees in the workplace.



Other events
  • 1. B C Alva, First Cricketer from Dakshina Kannada, to be selected to the National Cricket team on 21/3/2021.
  • 2. Students received Silver Medal in the 2 km State Cross Country Championship held on 31-01-2021 & 21-02-2021 at Dr NSAM PU College, Nitte.
  • 3. Arivu- KSHEMA organized Neravu, a oneday workshop for children, on 28/3/2021.
  • 4. NIPT organized a “Unravelling CBR and Preventing Disabilities in the Community” webinar on 27/5/2021.
  • 5. Webinar on “Humour - an Integral Part of Life” was organized by NUINS on 12/5/2021.
  • 6. A webinar on ‘The Anticipated Third Wave in Covid-19 and Prioritization for Children was organized by KSHEMA on 25/6/2021.
  • 7. International Day for Elderly-2021 was held at NIPT on 1/10/2021.
  • 8. Poster making & Video making competition was organized on 29/9/2021 as a part of World Suicide Prevention Month.


  • 9. A Press release was held on 24/9/2021 on the topic of Keyhole surgery treatment for Hormonal disorders in siblings.
  • 10. A workshop titled “An Outlook on Child Rights and Acts” was organized by KSHEMA on 3/9/2021.
  • 11. NUINS organized a Seminar on the Management of Pediatric Behavioural & Social Problems on 25/10/2021.
  • 12. World Disability Day and the Press release were held on 3/12/2021 at the KSHEMA auditorium on National Disability day (child).
  • 13. 13) Sports Connect 4 Conference -’Incisive and Inclusive Rehabilitation’ was organized by NIPT and was held on 11-12-2021 & 12- 12-2021.


Collaborations for outreach activities:
The signing of MOU: Between Nitte (DU) and Samagra Shikshana Karnataka:
On 23rd October 2021, Nitte Special Child Care Centre, in collaboration with team LAKSHYA, conducted an event in the Avishkar Hall of A.B Shetty memorial institute of dental sciences to sign the memorandum of understanding between Nitte (DU) and Samagra Shikshana, Karnataka, Block education office Mangalore (north and south). The Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between Nitte (deemed to be University) and Samagra Shikshan, Karnataka. On this occasion, the LAKSHYA initiative, started by the interns of ABSMIDS during the second wave of the Covid 19 pandemic, wanted to provide aids appliances to a few children in need from the south and north zones of Mangalore. The LAKSHYA team provided two wheelchairs, two spectacles, two air beds and one tricycle. After the distribution of appliances, Prof. (Dr.) Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, the chief guest for the day, gave his presidential address, following which Mrs Rajalakshmi K also addressed the gathering. Prof. (Dr.) Amarshree Shetty, secretary of Nitte special child care centre, delivered the vote of thanks. The event ended with big smiles on the students’ faces.



8. b. Collaborations for research
The Research Work Published Related to the SDG.
  • 1. Comparison and compilation of the vaccine approval process of the United States of America and the European Union: A road map for the emerging and developing countries in covid-19 crisis. Jacob, Ankeeta Menona; Pruthvish, Sreekantaiah; Sastry, Nandakumar Bidare; Kunnavil, Radhika; Shankarappa, Mohanraju; Shetty, Avinash in the Journal of Family Medicine And Primary Care.
  • 2. Effect of Mind-Body Approaches on Menopausal Symptoms among Women: A Community-Based Pilot Study. Thomas, Timi; Kamath, Neetha; Kumar, Ajay; D’Silva, Fatima. Journal of health and allied sciences, Nitte University.
  • 3. Patterns of periodontal destruction among smokeless tobacco users in a central Indian population. Anand P.S., Mishra S., Nagle D., Kamath N.P., Kamath K.P., Anil S. Healthcare (Switzerland).


  • 4. FRAX-based osteoporosis treatment guidelines for resource-poor settings in India. Nagendra L., Bhavani N., Menon V.U., Pavithran P.V., Menon A.S., Abraham N., Nair V., Kumar H. Archives of Osteoporosis.
  • 5. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards the Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic among the Pregnant Women. Rai, Supriya; Poonja, Neetha; Nandhan, Neetha; Chauhan, Sapna; Alevoor, Shruthi. Journal of Evolution Of Medical And Dental Sciences.
  • 6. Assessment of Adverse Drug Reactions of Antibiotics in General Surgical Patients of a Charitable Hospital.
  • 7. Prevalence and Severity of Menopausal Symptoms among Women - A CommunityBased Cross-Sectional Study
  • 8. Challenges to human papillomavirus vaccine acceptability among women in South India: An exploratory study
  • 9. Evaluation of serum lipid profile and sex hormones in women with polycystic ovary syndrome-A comparative study


PATENTS published
Dr. Niranjan N Chiplunkar from NMAMIT, Nitte (DU) has published a patent on the title Wheel chair with double scissor jack mechanism for height adjustment for creeping patients.

  • 1. Dr. Pasanna Shama Khandige, NGSMIPS, has published a patent on the title Device for measuring severity estimation in muscular atrophy & inflammation of muscles on 5/11/2022


The following scholars have received their PhD with topics relevant to the SDG.
  • 1. Dr Satheesh Kumar D - Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Upper Limb Functions in Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Children - A Randomized Controlled Trial, NIPT
  • 2. Dr Haripriya S - The influence of cognitive status on the outcome of a multi-component


  • exercise program in community-dwelling elderly individuals, NIPT
  • 3. Dr Remya Bharath- Cardiac, Sudomotor and Biochemical Autonomic Indices in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders – A CaseControl Study, KSHEMA, Full time


The University provided various intramural funding received:
  • 1. Nitte University funded Ms. Shivaleela P Upashe with a seed amount of 8800 to conduct a study on the Knowledge and Attitude of Registered Nurses and Intern Students on Pain Management of Children - A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.
  • 2. Nitte University funded Dr. Amarshree A Shetty with an amount of 50000/- to conduct a non-Restorative Caries Treatment Versus study. Interim Therapeutic Restorative Treatment in Children with Special Healthcare Needs - A Split Mouth Study.
  • 3. Nitte University funded Dr. Marina Saldhana with a grant amount of 80000/- to conduct a study on the association between hearing loss and COVID-19 infection.
  • 4. Nitte University funded Dr Neetha Kamath with a grant amount of Rs.100000/- to conduct a study on the effect of interaction with children on the well-being of the elderly.
  • 5. Nitte University funded Ms Jeevitha Alva with a grant amount of Rs.50000/- to conduct a study assessment of Activities of Daily Living (Adl) of specially-abled Children to Develop A Need-Based Instructional Video.
  • 6. Nitte University funded Mr. Sukesh and Ms. Juhee Gogoi with a grant amount of Rs.5000/- to study knowledge, attitude and practice towards COVID-19 vaccination among people in selected hospitals (OPD.) Mangaluru.
  • 7. Nitte University funded Dr. Anisha and Ms. Sruthymol Thomas with a grant of Rs.10000/- to conduct a study on the education status and the digital divide among the communities of Aralam Farm in Kerala.



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