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
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