Preventive Health Care inititiatives

There is a saying prevention is better than cure and we at Shree Public Charitable Trust believe in this. We give equal importance to preventing the occurance of diseases.

To give you a background on Preventive Healthcare,

Preventive Healthcare
Prevnetive health is the science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, public and private organizations, communities and individuals. It is concerned with eradicating the threats to the overall health of a community by increasing the awareness of all the members of the community. In this context

Shree Public Charitable Trust is engaged in organizing periodical counselling Programs and awareness drives in various spheres of Public Health.

COUNSELLING PROGRAMS AND AWARENESS DRIVES

Infectious diseases are still the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in India, and also Southeast Asia region. They are still a major contributor to the global burden of the disease. Acute diarrhoeal diseases have been recognised as the major cause of morbidity, under-nutrition and mortality. Nearly 0.7 million children die every year due to diarrhoea. To prevent
infectious diseases and increase awareness about nutrition, cleanliness, personal hygiene and sanitation, counselling is provided to the under-privileged, illiterate, rural dwellers and women through appropriate counselling programs.

According to the Seventh All India Educational Survey of 2002, 3 percent of Indian children are physically or mentally challenged.

Shree Public Charitable Trust organizes Counselling Programs for specially challenged children like spastics, autistic children, children with learning disabilities, mentally retarded children etc. to diagnose their problems, counsel their families and route them to the appropriate supportive and care giving facilities.

The population of India has swelled to around 1 billion now. We have 2% of world area supporting around 17% of the world population. Also it is estimated that 2 – 3.1 million Indians have been infected with HIV/AIDS so far according to National AIDS Control Organization, India. Since there is no cure for AIDS, the emphasis continues to be on educating the masses, particularly the vulnerable groups about the causes of the disease.

To meet this need, Shree Public Charitable Trust organizes Free Counselling for family planning and HIV AIDS periodically.

Awareness campaigns are initiated for the youth on the ill effects of tobacco, alcohol, drug abuse etc.

Health Care Initiatives

As most us know the health care system in India and we all must have read and seen the number of people suffering and dying each day due to lack of good medical care. Shree Public Charitable Trust is also working towards providing the medical help to the economically backward in India.

Before I go on to explain what our Trust is provinding, let me give you a reality on the health care in our country.

HEALTHCARE IN INDIA

The United Nations' World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Health is a major factor that influences the rate of growth and development of a country. There is a vast discrepancy in access to health care and public health initiatives between developed countries and developing countries. In the developing world where public health infrastructures are still in the formative stage, there may not be enough trained health workers or monetary resources to provide the required level of medical care and disease prevention that is necessary to cater to the entire population.

In India, though the Government has set up many progressive health programs, the ever increasing regional, economic and gender disparities continue to pose challenges to the health sector in the country. About 75% of health infrastructure, medical man power and other health resources are concentrated in high income urban areas where 27% of the population lives. The people in the rural areas and slums still suffer from ill health due to lack of awareness, inaccessibility of health care facilities and poverty. This is where the non governmental organizations play a crucial role in reaching out to the masses.

Our initiatives:
A. Curative Healthcare
PERIODICAL FREE MEDICAL CAMPS

Free medical camps are arranged periodically for the slum dwellers in Bangalore where more than 1500 patients are treated at each camp.
Starting one week before the medical camp, an awareness drive is launched in the chosen slum by putting up posters, distributing leaflets, public audio-announcements and door to door visits.
Free transport is arranged to bring the patients from the slums and drop them back and they are also given a good nutritious meal.
Medical Specialists from the fields of general medicine, surgery, ENT, gynaecology, paediatrics, ophthalmology, dentistry, geriatrics, orthopaedics, oncology and dermatology offer their expertise to the patients.
Basic diagnostic facilities and medicines are also provided free of cost to all the patients.
Free eye check up and spectacles are provided to patients with eye defects.
In special cases where there is a requirement for surgery like kidney transplantation, cardiac surgery, cancer surgery etc., the entire expenditure of the surgery and post surgical treatment like chemotherapy, radiation etc. is taken care of.
Medical Camps are also conducted on special days such as World Heart Day, World Diabetes Day etc. to address specific health problems.

We also believe in providing preventive health care facilities, about which I will write in my next post!

Till then, Lets Wipe a Tear, Remove a Pain!