Understanding Healthcare Centers and the Government's Program

Today, I had an opportunity to explore the Healthcare domain with Channa. We met Dr. Kodanda Rao from Drishti Hospital at Malleswaram. YFS, along with the hospitals, conducts various health camps like healthcare checkups, eye care camps, etc. The eye screening camp is conducted at one of the Government schools at Malleswaram. Each day, Dr Rao attend a camp in collaboration with the various hospitals, trusts and NGOs. It was sad to see that the parents of the kids at Government school cannot afford basic medical facilities for their children. I could see that the kids wait weeks and months hoping someone would come to their help. However, their medication keeps postponing and yet, they were with a smile on their face. There is so much to learn from these kids. We were asked to combine the camp with the Jain Helpline Trust who were conducting a similar camp in a nearby school. Along with eye screening, the medicine and spectacles were being provided free of cost. But then, we had to give a second thought as the kids cannot be taken out of the school campus without prior notice of the parents. We asked whether parents themselves can take them to the camp and the teacher replies saying that it’s very difficult to convince them.

PHC - Primary Health Care Center

I never even realized that such centers exist in a city. In Bengaluru, we have around 198 wards and each ward has one PHC where the medical facilities are provided at the minimum cost to the people below poverty line (BPL). PHCs are the basic first-line units providing primary health care. Theoretically, there is one PHC for every 30,000 of population. Each PHC has five or six sub-centers staffed by health workers for outreach services such as immunization, basic curative care services, and maternal and child health services. PHCs generally consist of one or more doctors, a pharmacist, a staff nurse, and other paramedical support staff. In India, PHCs form a basic part of the health care system. The Medical Officer appointed to run the PHC must be an MBBS degree holder. In addition to the provision of diagnostic and curative services, the Medical Officer acts as the primary administrator for the PHC. The primary field staff, who provide outreach services, are called "Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) or a village health nurse, depending upon the Indian state where the PHC is located. The village health nurse provides service at the point of care, often in the patient's home. If additional diagnostic testing or clinical intervention is required, the patient is transported to the PHC to be evaluated by the Medical Officer. Under the National Rural Health Mission, PHCs are rapidly being upgraded.

YFS volunteers did a great job at Malleswaram PHC on event of the pulse polio drive. The staff over there was overwhelmed with the initiative taken by volunteers and by being of great help.

Pulse Polio:

For the first time I have tried to know in detail about Pulse Polio just heard it from the childhood but never knew it in details.

The polio vaccine protects children from polio or poliomyelitis, which is a highly infectious viral disease spread through the fecal-oral route of infected people. The polio virus enters through the mouth and ends up in the nervous system. It can rapidly lead to paralysis and even death. India is one of the four remaining countries that still have cases of polio. Polio is common in places with poor sanitation. Good hygiene is the key to reducing the risk of infection. You can protect your children by maintaining proper hygiene and giving them safe drinking water and hygienically prepared food.

Polio mainly affects children under the age of 5. Older people with lower immunity levels are also vulnerable. It is a common belief that polio afflicts only the lower socioeconomic group. That is not true: as long as there is one infected person, all children are at risk. There is no cure for polio. However, timely immunization is the most effective way of preventing the disease. Older siblings who are under 5 years of age must also be vaccinated in case they have missed the dosage. It is important to ensure that all children up to 5 years of age are given the Oral Polio Vaccination (OPV) drops in addition to the routine polio vaccines given by the doctor as per the immunization schedule. This is the only way to ensure the child and the community are protected from polio. The vaccine has proven to be safe and is the most effective tool we currently have in preventing polio. A combination of OPV and Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) will put the fears to rest.

The Pulse Polio program is a government-led program which aims to eradicate polio from the country by vaccinating all children under the age of five, against polio. Every child is given OPV drops on special "Pulse Polio National Immunization Days".

Narayana Netralaya

This is yet another wonderful hospital. It conducts various camps at government schools and conduct a preliminary screening of the eyes. People who are required to be treated further will be taken to hospital and the treatment is done without or with minimal monetary charges (for people with weak socioeconomic background)

Government schools

The last part of the day was spent visiting 3 Government school and surprisingly, all the 3 schools were under one building at Malleswaram. One school, an Urdu medium school, had some 20 kids in Classes 5, 6 and 7. The other two schools had classes up to 6th standard. It was heartening for me to see my colleague Channa, who had bought a bottle of medicine for two children. On handing it over to the teachers, he explained the dosage details. It surprised me as he had kept it on his mind, after his previous visit, that this kid needs medicine and the parents are not able to afford it. He followed up with the doctor and ensured that the medicine reaches the children. On the other hand, it was disappointing to learn these hard ground realities of the huge disparity in the patterns of earnings and spending that we see around us. He also asked the teacher to spot kids who needs special attention so that YFS volunteers can be engaged to enhance their skills. 

Waste Management - Be Aware for a better tomorrow

Each  day, around 4000 tonnes of waste is generated at Bengaluru alone. Recently we might have seen we are facing issue in disposal of the waste and the issue is very critical. There is a call for segregation of wet waste and dry waste by BBMP in order to conserve the environment. Even I never thought until I attended a talk by Hamsa, who is Green Commando of YFS . Each one of us know that it is causing a problem but then unless and until we are practically exposed to the WHY part of the question i.e, why to manage waste, we remain silent. We follow what majority of the people are doing and forget our bit. We usually tend to escape from doing our bit by telling it’s okay to throw waste on the streets because others are doing the same, it’s okay the one paper/plastic which I throw on the street is fine when millions are doing it, it doesn't make a difference, etc. Its due to this attitude we all are unwillingly falling in the category of ‘don’t care’ community. We feel that environment is very huge or big and that we cannot do anything from our end to save or protect it but then if each one of us think “Let others do whatever, let me think what I can do as an individual so that at least 0.000001% will help” and when slowly if each one of us just change the attitude and try to do only our bit of work we can happily ensure much more greener world around us.

There are not enough trees to provide clean oxygen and the issue of global warming is increasing each day. The ozone layer is depleting every single day due to the excess carbon dioxide released. We don’t witness rain in the rainy season. The problems are actually major and unfortunately, we all choose to ignore them because, today, we are apparently happy. Every single action we do has an effect on the nature, either good or bad. Waste management, planting of trees, appropriate usage of the natural resources without harming it are the need of the hour and yet we do not understand it.

We are more focused on making life easier than making it better. Waste management should be our focus and not waste disposal. The rag pickers who do the segregation of the waste are the ones who are helping to reduce the harm by reducing it to 40% but then we look down upon them and easily wave away their contribution saying it’s their duty. They don’t even bother the extent of dirt in the waste they just focus and segregate in the required manner even at the cost of risking their life as they are exposed to so many toxic chemicals which cause a number of diseases. We being educated with all high degrees do not understand or even practice the smallest of the smallest things then what is the use of such education? It is unfortunate but we have become self centered. Most even claim that the world itself is like this these days due to lack of time and other pressures of life. We seldom notice people who live in our neighborhood and this perhaps one reason why we don't think twice before contaminating the environment. Waste management, to be very objective, is not a difficult task. It just requires classification of waste to facilitate recycling. Generally, we classify them into biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

You have dustbins at our home in the living room. Just ensure that you put in only the dry waste like paper/plastic. You have a dustbin in the kitchen. Just ensure only the food items goes in it. This is very important because these are organic waste it means they are biodegradable and have the quality of getting dissolved with the soil. If other waste paper, plastic, tube light  batteries, etc. are added, it harms the soil and the environment. Practically 60% of the waste comprises of the food waste and if kept separately its very simple to reduce waste by 60% which can actually make a huge difference. 

People who have a garden they can store wet waste and add dried leaves so that the moisture is taken away and the temperature rises up to 60% and in 10-15 days you can actually see the 10kg of pure wet waste turned out to be a 1 kg of rich manure. BBMP is working to set up a compost-er in every area wherein one can compost the wet waste instantly which will turn in to manure.There is a need to have a separate bin to dispose the hazardous waste like tube-lights or any item related to medication so that they do not harm the people who are involved in segregating the waste and also do not affect the purity of wet waste. I think we can at least to do so much to the people who are taking utmost care to take over our responsibility in saving the environment. The sanitary waste can be disposed in the dustbins which we keep in the bathrooms and ensure to give it separately covered in a newspaper with a X mark on it so that they can treat it separately. There is need to dispose the e-waste such as batteries, mobile etc. Because these are very dangerous due to the chemicals involved in them and need to be disposed in a particular process for which there are people working on it.

The saddest part is there are some companies who import waste from abroad by paying taxes and the reason is they manage waste as required and we just dispose waste in the worst manner. They are cleaning their country but we are adding more to the existing one’s which is actually a shame. These impacts are huge disastrous.

The landfills which are designed to decompose the dry waste are overfilling with the wet waste as these constitutes about 60% and this manner the landfills which is required to serve for a decade are exhausted within a year which is very depressing to witness. Just one attempt by us to segregate will help solve the problem to large extent. These landfills are set up on the land which are of no use or which cannot be used for cultivation which are 30-40kms away from the city. We are safe but then the people around are getting impacted by various diseases.

The ways are very simple but then the impact is very huge. YFS has taken a great initiative in this regard. As I mentioned, sensitization is required at all levels so that if a 1000 listen, at least a 100 will start following and seeing these 100 practice, the other 900 will start practicing. The kids were so much scared and worried that the environment is in such a danger due to their ancestors. They said with a loud voice that they would practice this and save the mother earth. They even promised to go back home and tell their parents and practice the same and instantly decided to come up with a Green Brigade team in the school to spread the awareness and practice as required.

At the beginning of the presentation they felt that environment is too big and that they cannot make any difference. But at the end of the presentation they felt that Yes, each can do so much of it. 

Let’s each one of us do our bit in segregating the waste so that we can build a greener and cleaner world around us so that our predecessors will not have a reason to curse us and also to adapt them with the good practices in saving our mother earth on which we live and bid adieu. 

Learning Organization Structure at The YFS Cluster Meet

A weekly meeting of all the clusters is held on every Tuesday to know the progress on the clusters. Youth for Seva (YFS) Bangalore has here are 4 clusters : Jayanagar, Indiranagar, Malleswaram and Banashankari. Each of these clusters comprise of 10-15 zones in turn these zones comprise of 4-5 schools. Each Seva Kendra (Schools) in a zone has an Anchor Volunteer who reports to the zone coordinator who in turn reports to Cluster coordinator. The Anchor coordinator is required to build a rapport with the Volunteers at the Seva Kendra and keep posted them about any information which has to be disseminated from YFS. Zone coordinators is updated by each of the Anchor coordinators about the active and inactive volunteers or any scope for getting the new volunteers connected or even any new projects they can work upon. Cluster coordinator organizes the data in a detailed manner from all the zones and gets the clear picture of what to be done to retain the existing volunteers or to find new projects for the new volunteers to join. YFS first screens the schools specially the government schools who are in need of some support may be in teaching English, Maths, Science, Computers or any art. Then as per the volunteers skills and interest they are placed in the schools with the desired subject they are willing to teach. Further if there is need of computers for the school YFS tries to get computers from the IT companies. After a certain period of time the computer loses it’s value is what IT companies say and they give it free of cost with an agreement of 5 years of usage and verifies the school which we are going to place at. The product which is useless for some may be the most useful for many others. Strange but true. The kids are super excited to touch, feel and play on the computers. Some kids call it as a magic.

English and Computer subjects have become the core of every industry and wherever you step in. You visit a McDonald, Pizzahut, KFC, Restauarant, Cafe name any shop we tend to use these two resources with compulsion. But then the things which we use so commonly are never common and they are not reaching every common man. The kids are so excited when they are taught English and Computers may be even they know mastery over these two subjects can help them get jobs anywhere. Even the maids talk in English these days. YFS is trying to bridge this gap by making the best use of available resources. All the stakeholders seems to be happy and satisfied. Kids are happy as they get access to learn English and Computers. Volunteers are delighted as they can witness the joy reaching so many kids by just spending 2 -3 hours per week. The Companies are happy as the least used product is the most useful product for the kids. Apart from that volunteers also try to teach Maths and Science with innovative ways which excites the kids and interest in the subject.

The Cluster coordinator is required to visit each Seva Kendra at least once in a month just to ensure there is no gap and smooth running of the process, visit Seva Kendra’s ask the school for any new requirement, talk to volunteers so that we stay connected and moreover to know the status of the project. There are weekday volunteers specially housewives, retired gentlemen or ladies and also a few youth who teach every single day. This seems to be a complete involvement of the community. What an effort! I was really happy when I learnt all this. Its just about one step of initiative to knock the door and giving them an opportunity and there you get people who are interested to give some time of theirs to impact so many lives out there.  There are so many housewives and the retired people who feel they have so much time and willing to do something but then they do not know how and why and also they may not be able to gather resources but then YFS is making all attempt to bridge this gap is the message given by the Cluster meeting.

Seva begins @ Youth for Seva

On 25 February 2013, I stepped into a different world that focuses on bettering the lives of people around us, from living in a world that focuses on bettering our own lives all these days. It has been my dream from a long time to work in the social sector and from today, I have started to live that dream.

The organization that I joined today, Youth for Seva, has a huge following of Swami Vivekananda's principles and very shortly, a grand celebration of his 150th birth anniversary is being planned. So, I could see that everyone is focused on the March 3 event. It so happens at school we are asked to learn about various role models who have succeeded in the domain of their interest. This was one attempt by the educational institutions to imbibe the values of life in the youth. Further intends to at least follow the footsteps by these great leaders who have built the nation with their contribution. We all have learnt about Swami Vivekananda but then the values and his contribution seems to fade away from the mind as well as practices in the day to day life.

Swami Vivekananda: One of the most inspirational personalities of our country, Swami Vivekananda not only swayed the beliefs and removed the existing prejudices against India from the likes of America and England, but also socially reformed India, so much so, that he was later called the maker of Modern India. Swami Vivekananda is regarded as the prime disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, who taught him that aid and service to man is the most effectual form of devotion to God. Swami Vivekananda was instrumental in spreading Vedanta and Yoga all across England, Europe and America by establishing Vedanta societies there, and escalating interfaith awareness and tolerance. He is considered to be the key figure in the revival of Hinduism in contemporary India.

I took up some tasks to begin with. The first and foremost work was to invite the volunteers. The database read 600 numbers on which calls could be made. Soon the call list was allocated and I had around 90 calls to make. Audience usually are the important part of any function and so, we had decided that in spite of sending mail we will call the volunteers personally and invite them with their friends and family which creates a sense of connect and belonging  This action really helped as the volunteers were overwhelmed when we invited to get along with their family and friends. I feel it’s because even they felt the organisation is serious about the event and want to celebrate it in a grand manner. In the due course when making calls I realized the pain which the people working in call centers face as they make around 250 calls per day and each call may extend up to 5 minutes. It was really a tough job. Every job has it’s own importance, respect it.

Not everyone can take up this tedious job which seems simple but it’s not. However, I enjoyed the role of being a tele-caller today. Each time I made a call I tried to ensure I’ll try to get connected with the volunteers better. Say, for example, the first few call began with inviting them and asking to refer mail which has been sent, followed by adding up briefing about the events going to be held further if someone says they are unable to make it mentioning the reason, I would wish them in their work or journey. In this way I could see that there’s always scope for improvement in each of the work. But then after some time the words exhausted from my dictionary and had to repeat many of them. The call list was exhausted and then the comments were updated accordingly which also lead to the follow up calls the next day.

Youth For Seva is one such organisation who not only believe in Swami Vivekananda’s teachings but also making great efforts of inspiring youth to be a better citizen by serving the society. It has reached thousands of youth inspired, awakened about their social responsibility by providing them a platform to serve the society specifically in the areas of their interest and more importantly according to the convenience may be in time or distance. Not everyone can provide a platform having taken care of all the convenient aspects this is what differentiates YFS from others.