Southern Health Improvement Samity

What Southern Health Improvement Samity does

Southern Health Improvement Samity (SHIS) is a registered charitable society headquartered in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India, that delivers free healthcare, education, and integrated community development services to underserved and geographically isolated populations. Founded in 1980 by M.A. Wohab and Sabitri Pal following initial field surveys, SHIS serves more than 100,000 patients per year through a delivery model that combines 15 pathological units with 4 floating boat dispensaries equipped with diagnostic equipment to reach riverine islands and remote villages inaccessible to fixed clinics. The organization specializes in serving malnourished children, pregnant mothers, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups, with dedicated programs covering tuberculosis detection via RNTCP collaboration, ophthalmology via the Kolkata Urban Eye Care Project, mobile medical units under the National Rural Health Mission, and broader initiatives in education, microfinance, women empowerment, sanitation, and the environment.

The organization operates as a non-profit funded entirely through donations, grants, and institutional partnerships rather than user fees or commercial pricing. Its resource base is diversified across a multinational donor and partner ecosystem that includes the Dominique Lapierre / City of Joy Aid Foundation, Irish Aid, NABARD, Rabobank, Sightsavers, and the Tata Trust, alongside government collaborations with the National Rural Health Mission and the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme. Geographic operations have extended beyond the original South 24 Parganas footprint into North Bengal districts including Malda and Jalpaiguri, signaling ongoing programmatic and territorial expansion. SHIS delivers this scaled service footprint with a lean team of 16 listed employees, reflecting a partnership-heavy and volunteer-supported operating model that channels grant funding directly into field delivery rather than administrative overhead.

Name

Southern Health Improvement Samity

Legal name

Southern Health Improvement Samity

Website

https://shisourstory.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Health Improvement Samity is a West Bengal-based charitable society founded in 1980 that delivers free healthcare, education, and community development services to underserved communities via 15 pathological units and 4 floating boat dispensaries serving over 100,000 patients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health and Social Welfare NGO Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAG

Disability Services & Independent Living Support

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGABAG

Child Protection & Child Rights

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

Keywords

• Community health services
• Tuberculosis treatment programs
• Mobile boat clinics
• Women microfinance empowerment
• Rural education initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Bhangar, South 24 Parganas

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: SHIS relies primarily on charitable donations from individuals, international donors, and partner organizations to fund operations and service delivery.
2. Government Grants and Programs: Partnerships with government health programs including RNTCP, NRHM, and state-level health initiatives provide funding and operational support.
3. Microfinance Operations: ASHADEEP micro-credit division provides small loans to women for self-employment projects in farming, poultry, livestock, pisciculture, weaving, and food processing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SHIS is a charitable NGO that delivers free primary healthcare, education, and community development services to the poorest and most marginalized populations of West Bengal, India. Its core offerings include TB treatment, eye care and cataract surgery, mobile and floating boat clinics, pathology and diagnostic services, institutional delivery care, HIV/AIDS counselling, free schools for underprivileged children, and women's microfinance self-help groups, all funded through donations and government health-programme grants.

Product overview

Southern Health Improvement Samity (SHIS) operates as an integrated social welfare NGO offering a portfolio of healthcare, education, and community development services primarily targeting the poorest populations of West Bengal, India. The organisation functions as a unified NGO rather than a software platform, delivering services through multiple distinct programmes: healthcare services include TB Care, Eye Care Hospital, Kolkata Urban Eye Care Project, Mobile Medical Units, Mobile Boat Dispensaries, Delivery Centres, Pathology Units, and ICTC/HIV Prevention; education services include Girls' Academy, Shishu Bikash Academy, and Deaf and Dumb School; community services include ASHADEEP Microfinance, Village Infrastructure Development, and Community Health Worker Training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASHADEEP: SHIS Ashadeep micro-credit division dedicated to women's empowerment through self-help groups and microfinance.
• SHIS Eye Care Hospital
• SHIS Dayanand Pathology Unit

Products and services

• TB Care Programme Tuberculosis diagnostic and treatment services including Directly Observed Treatment (DOTs), MDR diagnostic services, and TB/HIV co-infection management across multiple districts of West Bengal, provided free of charge.
• Eye Care Hospital State-of-the-art eye care hospital with 25 free beds, two modern operation theatres, and comprehensive ophthalmic services including cataract surgeries, targeting 4.5 million people in South and North 24 Parganas.
• Kolkata Urban Comprehensive Eye Care Project Eye health care project for marginalized communities in Kolkata slums targeting 1.49 million people, with over 10,000 adult cataract surgeries conducted.
• Mobile Medical Units Mobile healthcare services providing early disease detection, minor surgical procedures, reproductive health, family planning, and diagnostic services including X-ray, ECG, and ultrasound for remote communities from Sunderbans to Himalayan foothills.
• Mobile Boat Dispensary Floating medical clinics serving remote inaccessible islands of the Sunderban region, fully equipped with X-ray machine, pathological laboratory, wireless communication, and accommodation for 10 medical staff.
• Institutional Delivery Centres Institutional delivery centres providing safe childbirth under qualified medical supervision with neo and post-natal care, emergency referrals, and distribution of folic acid and iron supplements.
• SHIS Dayanand Pathology Unit Diagnostic laboratory with clinical pathology, hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, histopathology, cytology, X-ray, and ultrasonography services across 15 pathological units including mobile boats.
• ICTC Programme (Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre) Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre implementing comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention through targeted interventions, pre and post-testing counselling, and referrals to medical services.
• SHIS Girls' Academy Free quality education institution for underprivileged girls providing secondary education with lessons on marriage after legal age, safe motherhood, gender equity, and proper health habits.
• Shishu Bikash Academy (Boys' School) Boys school founded in 1999 with integrated curriculum designed for physical, emotional, cognitive, and social growth of rural children, featuring a three-storied hostel.
• Deaf and Dumb School School for hearing-impaired children providing individual speech therapy, counselling for guardians, and vocational training in tailoring for approximately 90 children aged 6 to 16.
• ASHADEEP Microfinance Programme Women's empowerment microcredit programme providing small financial assistance for self-employment in farming, poultry, livestock, pisciculture, weaving, and food processing, organized through self-help groups.
• Village Infrastructure Development Programme Rural infrastructure programme installing deep tube wells, sanitary latrines, and civil works including road development for remote areas of West Bengal.
• Community Health Worker Training Programme Vocational training programme for women and adolescent girls conducted on behalf of the Department of West Bengal Women's Development Undertaking and Social Welfare.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 patients treated annually, serving approximately 3,000 patients per day
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Sightsavers InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrusted SHIS to run comprehensive Kolkata Urban Slum Eye Care Project targeting 1.49 million people in urban slums.
• CARE India / Project AXSHYAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for TB control activities and community-based direct observation treatments in multiple districts.
• National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment program partnership for Mobile Medical Units and reproductive health services in South 24 Parganas.
• Rotary Club of Calcutta ChowringheeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssists village infrastructure development program including installation of tube wells and sanitary latrines.
• National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment program partnership for eye care services and blindness prevention initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Smile Foundation India: Large Indian NGO operating healthcare, education, and women's empowerment programs for underprivileged communities across multiple states. Directly comparable integrated-service NGO model serving poor populations.
• Child In Need Institute (CINI): West Bengal-based NGO providing integrated child-focused health, nutrition, and education services to vulnerable communities. Operates in similar geography and shares the integrated service-delivery NGO model.
• Mission for Vision: India-focused eye care NGO delivering cataract surgeries, vision screening, and blindness prevention in underserved regions. Directly comparable to SHIS's Kolkata Urban Eye Care Project and Eye Care Hospital programs.
• Seva Mandir: Rajasthan-based rural development NGO offering health, education, and women's empowerment programs to tribal and rural communities. Comparable integrated-service model for hard-to-reach populations.
• CARE India: Large international NGO operating TB control (Project AXSHYA), maternal health, and rural community programs across India. Direct programmatic partner of SHIS for TB work, with comparable health-and-community-development footprint.
• Sightsavers India: India arm of Sightsavers International, focused on eye health and disability inclusion. SHIS runs the Kolkata Urban Slum Eye Care Project for Sightsavers, and the two share a direct programmatic partnership and overlapping mission in eye care for the poor.
• HelpAge India: Major Indian NGO providing healthcare, livelihoods, and advocacy for elderly poor. Comparable NGO model serving vulnerable rural populations through community health and social support programs.

Emerging players

• Operation Eyesight Universal (India): International eye health NGO with India operations focused on avoidable blindness elimination. Comparable in cataract surgery scale and rural eye health delivery to SHIS's eye care programs.

Others

• NABARD (as a microfinance ecosystem player): National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development — provides microfinance support to SHIS's ASHADEEP program. Relevant ecosystem participant rather than direct peer, as it is a development finance institution rather than a service-delivery NGO.

Broad incumbents

• BRAC India: India arm of BRAC, the world's largest NGO, operating integrated health, education, microfinance, and community empowerment programs. Operates at far greater scale than SHIS but follows the same multi-program NGO model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHOlIknwrT-UD5HS11JbR6g
• Facebookfacebook.com/shisindia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-health-improvement-samity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern Health Improvement Samity