During our first months here at Ashirvad, we have of course spent a lot of time with the children, which is the ‘Child Development’ area of Ashirvad’s work. But recently we had the great privilege of being exposed to another part of Ashirvad’s involvement in the community – health.
We started out in the morning in the Ashirvad ambulance and went to the local Gorewada slum. Sanjeev, the head of the health department was leading the visit, assisted by Pushpa who is one of the field workers at Ashirvad. Also accompanying us was a local doctor of Nagpur, who has been a long-standing partner of Ashirvad.
Previously during the week, Pushpa had gone through the slum, talking with people and letting them know about the health camp, so it didn’t take long for people to gather. Pushpa met with each person, registering their details such as name, age and weight. From there, the patients went one by one into the ambulance, where there is room for them to sit and discuss with the doctor.
After diagnosing the problem, the doctor writes a prescription for medication if required. From here, the patients take their prescription to a nearby house just a few metres away, where Sanjeev is set up with all the medication. Sanjeev spends time with each person, talking to them and explaining how and when to take the medicines.
Marty and I were able to talk with some of the kids, which was great. There were a lot of mothers with their children, complaining of common ailments like coughs, colds and fevers – these are generally associated with the change of weather here. One father of five was there with four of his children – it was sad to see just the general lack of good health among this family, and good that we could be there to meet them and offer them some medical treatment. But they were also a reminder of the wider issues of poor hygiene and sanitation, lack of good food and lack of clean drinking water, that exist in the slums, and the need to continue to work to address these factors as well.
One lady also came who was presenting signs and symptoms that point to HIV infection. There is a lot of incorrect information and stigma associated with HIV / AIDs, so the Ashirvad team were careful not to make mention of this while at the slum. Instead, they asked the woman and her husband to visit the Ashirvad facility, which is close by, and from there they will take them to the hospital for testing and continue to follow up.
The health camps are a wonderful initiative of Ashirvad, and bring great connections with the community.
Between $50 - $100 is enough funding to fit out the ambulance with medicines and pay for fuel, a donation to the doctor for their time and other associated expenses. This can then offer treatment to approximately 140 people! We continue to experience that a little bit really goes a long way.
We started out in the morning in the Ashirvad ambulance and went to the local Gorewada slum. Sanjeev, the head of the health department was leading the visit, assisted by Pushpa who is one of the field workers at Ashirvad. Also accompanying us was a local doctor of Nagpur, who has been a long-standing partner of Ashirvad.
Previously during the week, Pushpa had gone through the slum, talking with people and letting them know about the health camp, so it didn’t take long for people to gather. Pushpa met with each person, registering their details such as name, age and weight. From there, the patients went one by one into the ambulance, where there is room for them to sit and discuss with the doctor.
After diagnosing the problem, the doctor writes a prescription for medication if required. From here, the patients take their prescription to a nearby house just a few metres away, where Sanjeev is set up with all the medication. Sanjeev spends time with each person, talking to them and explaining how and when to take the medicines.
Marty and I were able to talk with some of the kids, which was great. There were a lot of mothers with their children, complaining of common ailments like coughs, colds and fevers – these are generally associated with the change of weather here. One father of five was there with four of his children – it was sad to see just the general lack of good health among this family, and good that we could be there to meet them and offer them some medical treatment. But they were also a reminder of the wider issues of poor hygiene and sanitation, lack of good food and lack of clean drinking water, that exist in the slums, and the need to continue to work to address these factors as well.
One lady also came who was presenting signs and symptoms that point to HIV infection. There is a lot of incorrect information and stigma associated with HIV / AIDs, so the Ashirvad team were careful not to make mention of this while at the slum. Instead, they asked the woman and her husband to visit the Ashirvad facility, which is close by, and from there they will take them to the hospital for testing and continue to follow up.
The health camps are a wonderful initiative of Ashirvad, and bring great connections with the community.
Between $50 - $100 is enough funding to fit out the ambulance with medicines and pay for fuel, a donation to the doctor for their time and other associated expenses. This can then offer treatment to approximately 140 people! We continue to experience that a little bit really goes a long way.
Patients waiting for checkup
Crowd is beginning to gather
Sanjeev ready with the medicines
Pushpa registering patients
Slum housing
Getting weighed
Father with his four children
Marty with a couple of the local boys
The doctor at work
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