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Bangalore Extends Its Helping Hands
Bangalore - Earthquake Update Appeal No. 5  (7th Feb 2001)

Medical Relief And Community Health Sector - An Update from CHC

1. An orientation session for potential medical volunteers was held at IMA Hall from 2 to 5 p.m. on 6th February 2001.

    i) About 20 people participated which included a team of doctors/nurses from St. Martha's Hospital, Bangalore; a doctor representative of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, Mysore; some local general practitioners and specialists; and some others.

    ii) During the session we had reports from Gujarat about the medical challenges from Dr. Sadashiva Murthy, Director of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Bangalore, who led the first government medical team from Bangalore; and also Dr. T. Venkatesh and Dr. Anand Alladi who led the first team from St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. In addition there were general orientation by Dr. Ravi Narayan of Community Health Cell, Bangalore; Orientation on Psychosocial challenges by Dr. Srikala Bharat of NIMHANS, Bangalore, and orientation on Public Health issues by Dr. Bobby Joseph of Department of Community Health, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore. There was a lively question-answer session and the whole meeting was chaired by Dr. B.S. Ramesh, President of IMA.

    iii) A note from Dr. Sridhar of medico friend circle based in Gujarat was circulated. Also a note named "Psychosocial Care by Community Level Helpers" adapted for Gujarat disaster from two booklets prepared earlier by NIMHANS for the Orissa super cyclone was circulated. IMA office also circulated a volunteers data sheet to be filled up and left with IMA office.

    iv) Concrete follow up from the meeting

      a) Dr. Srikishen (orthopedics) from St. Martha's Hospital was willing to lead a small team of doctors / nurses to follow up on trauma and post operative care needs that were identified. Dr. Sadashiva Murthy offered to help link up with Pathan District Hospital where there was such a need.

      b) Dr. Seetharam (orthopedics) from SVYM, Mysore offered the services of a team from their organisation to do any type of immediate follow up medical work. They have been requested to send details of the nature of the team and these will be sent to medical contacts in the Janavikas/Janpath network.


    v. Overall the conclusion: that there was no need to send any medical personnel as an emergency initiative any longer. All future teams should be linked to very specific requests from different NGO's or the government control room.

    vi. However, the situation would be continuously monitored as before and requests handled as they emerge from our local network contacts in Gujarat.


3. Dr. Srikala has informed us that the NIMHANS team which will include her, Dr. Kishore and Dr. Shekar would be leaving on 8th February 2001. to assess psychosocial consequences and response. We shall report further as soon as we here from them. In the meanwhile we are circulating the document on Psycho Social Care by Community Level Helpers.

4. A team of 8 medical volunteers have left from HOSMAT on Monday 5th February. The Medical Trauma Team is on its way to Anjar and comprise of : Dr. Ajith Benedict Rayan, Public Health Specialist Dr. Rudraprasad Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Venu Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Kanthraj Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Chandrashekar Rai General Surgeon Ms. Jyothi OT Nurse Ms. Mini OT Nurse Mr. Reggie Samuel OT Technician Mr. Narsimhulu OT Technician Mr. S. Madhusoodhan Pharmacist 4. The St. John's Medical College Hospital team returned on 5th February, 2001 and a press conference was held at the Press Club on 6th February where they shared their experiences (see news reports dated 7th February, 2001 in local papers)

COMMUNITY HEALTH CELL

Sochara@vsnl.com
for Bangalore Citizens Response for Gujarat Earthquake