Medical Camp – Phase 3 – Guravpada
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Team Suhrid had carried out an all kids camp on 20th Oct, 2013 at Bahiram Pada. The findings were analysed and action plan was worked out, which included:
- Addition of the Protein in the diet.
- Improve the quality of the water.
- Provide foot-wear to the kids to minimize the worms
- Meeting with parents to educate them about the health related issues and the expectations.
We added eggs in the mid-day meal for 500 kids starting January, 2014.
Each school was provided with steel tanks (60 Litre capacity, 1 tank per 50 kids). The teachers were provided muslin cloth for the primary filtering. They were asked to use alum and chlorine tablet combination to further purify the water. In that sense, water purification and distribution project was made fully operational by Dec, 2013.
Subsequently, team Suhrid visited every school to meet the parents to apprise them of our objective, contribution and expectations from them towards the health of the kids. The response was overwhelming.
In the months starting Feb 2014, footwear were also distributed to schools during the visit for parents meeting or during the camp visit as in the case of Talyachapada.
During the month of Jan and Feb, 2014, we initiated some treatment of the kids, who were earmarked for the advanced treatment during the camp in Oct, 2013. During this exercise, one common observation was linked with the deficiencies in the blood due to poor nutrition. While the objective of the camps in March 2014 was restricted to general health checkup, we added complete blood test as a part of this exercise and roped in Bay-View pathology lab as a partner for the same.
Third and final phase of the repeat camp was carried out at Guravpada on 29th March, 2014, wherein the students from the three schools (Bahirampada, Palavpada, Palavpada-Anantpur) gathered for the medical camp.
In this region as well, teachers could convince majority of kids to take the blood test. Team Suhrid provided very sturdy and beautiful set of floaters to every kid, which can help them have cleaner feet. Also, it would minimize the damage to nerve roots, which happens due to their bare-feet movement on the rough surface. Doctors provided medicines such as Paracitamol, vitamin supplement, minerals etc for the routine ailments.
Based on the findings from the individual examination and the blood report, following facts were presented.
- Effect of good hygiene and nutrition was quite visible. Good improvement since the last camp.
- Eosinophilia, Iron deficiency or combination of both in some kids.
- Eosinophilia was the result of incomplete de-worming. Though the kids took the 6 months dosage of de-worming, due to various reasons such contaminated well water or negligence at home, some kids could not get rid of worms. Hence, for the kids with Eosinophilia advanced de-worming has been recommended.
- Towards the Iron deficient kids, we would provide folic acid supplement, only after the kids go through complete de-worming.
These medicines would be provided in the month of June 2014 when the schools re-open.
