Khand – Medical Camp

Khand – Medical Camp

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Team Suhrid arranged a health check-up camp on Sunday, 14th October 2012at village Khand, Taluka Vikramgadh, District Thane – roughly 145 kms from Mumbai.

Camp was advertised 15 days before by putting posters in prominent places in nearby villages, announcements by Sarpanch (village leaders) in meetings and other sources. Before Sunday, team Suhrid had visited Khand village for the working out arrangements for the camp.

Team was divided in two – one for ladies and girls, second for boys. Team 1 included – Dr Lipsa Shah, Vivekanand Vadodkar, Nita Kanchan, Harsha and Pushpa. Team 2 included Sister Susmita Tembe, Dr Satish, Kanchan and Dinesh. Some of the male members of village also inquired if  they can they too can be part of camp as they too had some medical problems.

Findings from this entire camp was shocking. Females in the village had taken responsibility at very early age (early marriage), no family planning, pressure of household chores, working in the farms, lack of nutritional food (resulting in deficient mother as well as deficient kid!)….. They grew Nachni (Raagi), fruits like Papaya, Guava, Banana – but no one had those as their staple diet. Lack of calcium, B12 and protein – malnourishment was evident – further hampered with other bad habits like tobacco and alcohol.

Some of the common problems in females included:

  • early osteo-arthritis (too many pregnancies in early age, calcium deficiency)
  • depression & lethargy (vitamin B12 deficiency)
  • dysmenoria in young girls (calcium and iron deficiency)
  • loss of interest towards life (medico-social reasons)

Kids however had a pleasant experience from the camp with goody bag full of snacks, sweets and chocolates. Their happiness reflected on their faces. This also helped advertise camp with other children who had initially decided to ignore it. Volunteer Deven played a role of Santa Claus for these  kids by distributing goody bags.

Some of the common problems in kids included:

  • malnourishment (they are fed mother’s milk till the age of 2 – by a mother who is already deficient with essential minerals)
  • worms (poor hygiene)
  • low immunity
  • malformed and bad teeth (poor hygiene and calcium deficiency)

Camp can be termed as successful – as team could check 492 patients.

Sharing experiences of some of the volunteers in the camp

Vivekanand Vadodkar Ashish Patel

Picture Gallery

(Please click on the picture to enlarge and see commentary on the pictures)

 

Getting ready... Team setting up camp banner (in Marathi).
 
Classroom from the school was used for check-up.
 
Educating posters were put across at various places for patients to read or volunteers to explain them.
 

 

Team 1 - lead by Dr Lipsa operated from the room from primary health care center of the village which was in the school campus.
 
By the time teams settle down, the queue of children started building up.
 
Team 2- led by Sister Sumita Tembe and Dr Satish started checking up boys (male patients).

 

Volunteer giving oral medicine to kids for worms.
 
Within an hour, team had to shift their base outside the room - in open fresh air, under the tree. Electricity played a key role in that.
 
Team 2 was too busy with rush in boys and some senior males too.
 

 

Volunteers worked more than 8 hours - maintaining medical records, distributing food packets, or assisting with medicines.
 
The setup under the tree.
 
Boys were given precautionary injections for tetanus by sister Susmita Tembe.
 

 

Dr Lipsa checking one of the patients. Local medical officer (in white saree) helping understand - little barrier of local language.
 
All the females were also given tetanus injections.
 
Camp setup for Team 1
 

 

The first camp - which was dedicated to Late Shri Suhrid Tembe and Shri Anil Patel.
 
Volunteer Nita taking medical history from a patient - her role involved getting case paper ready before patients discusses case with doctors.
 
Time for a much awaited lunch break. Volunteers did not get time to take any break in-between. Lunch was simple village preparation.
 

 

As the Sun changed the direction, doctors had to re-position their desks
 
Dr Lipsa and Harsha with patient.
 
At around 4pm, once again there was a burst of ladies patients at the camp - they were returning from their work.
 

 

Banner of the camp.
 
Volunteer Ashish giving oral medicine to a child.
 
Volunteer Pushpa ensuring that medicines are taken by patients then and there in front of her.
 

 

Dr Satish & sister Susmita doing complete check-up of boys - students from the school.
 
Volunteer Kanchan had lot of patience with kids while taking their case history.
 
Tea break
 

 

Marks on the knee of one of the patients. These were marks of red-hot iron rod which was used as 'treatment' for pain in the knee joint. People still believed in these ways of treatment. She was diagnosed osteo-arthritis and corresponding medication was given.
 
Old lady at the camp - could not stand in the queue longer.
 
Kids waiting for their parents to finish.
 
Finally... time to wrap-up for the day.
 
Some members from the team still squeezed-in some time to play few shots of cricket with school kids around.
 
A group picture - of volunteers, doctors and local support team.
 

 

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