Current Projects
FECT
St Albans Medical Centre
New clinic providing primary healthcare for the poor
Kidwai Hospital
FECT
In Kodungal, a small team of volunteers are taking into their own home, people suffering from leprosy
The age-old social stigma associated with the advanced form of leprosy lingers in many areas, and remains a major obstacle to self-reporting and early treatment. Effective treatment for leprosy appeared in the late 1930s with the introduction of dapsone and its derivatives. However, leprosy bacilli resistant to dapsone gradually evolved and became widespread, and it was not until the introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) in the early 1980s that the disease could be diagnosed and treated successfully within the community.
International Leprosy Day was created to draw awareness to Leprosy and its sufferers.
St Albans Medical Centre
Purchasing 6 acres of land has signalled the start of stage 2 of the St Albans Medical Centre.
Our established medical team now serves 28 villages (population 55,000) in the Cuddalore District of Southern India. We offer medical care, outreach mobile clinics and hospice home care to address the challenging situations of despair, suicide and serious illnesses.
The team is also addressing the lack of hygiene, health care, education, women’s empowerment and income generating issues. We initially had 2,500 patients but this increased to 5,400 by the end of 2006. People walk up to 10 miles to the centre, and we are planning for 12,000 additional patients by 2008.
Under Sophy Paul’s leadership the centre is very active in providing awareness programmes and health groups within the community. Every two weeks there are awareness sessions on topics such as Health and Hygiene, Nutrition, Symptoms and Causes of Disease, Curative and Preventative Measures.
We have purchased a plot of land in conjunction with the Roshni Extension Service to realise our dream of building a clinic complete with pharmacy, treatment rooms, reception area and medicinal garden.
Our appeal sent out in
October 2006 focussed on obtaining matching funds for our own
building, ‘Outreach’ Health Clinics, Medical Camps
and Hospice Care to maintain momentum and significantly and
sustainably assist people to improve their lives and restore
their spirit and communities.
We would like to thank all those who have
helped us so fae to raise an astounding £17,150
Kidwai Hospital
Kidwai Hospital situated in the heart of Bangalore specialises in treating children with cancer
It is a typical monday morning, Flavia Pinto arrives on her scooter carrying two plastic bags. She checks in at reception and the orderly lets her in. She is immediately recognised by the children, Flavia is a regular visitor to the cancer ward.
Eager faces await to see what she has brought with her. Despite undergoing chemotherapy and facing a difficult struggle with illness, these children are visibly happy that she has come. They joke with each other and follow her around as she walks from bedside to bedside giving out presents. Each child receives the same thing, this week they get a toy car, a colouring pencil and a cake. Some are feeling too ill to eat, but the toy car and pencil bring a smile. One boy starts to cry, he wanted a red car and his is blue. Flavia reaches into her bag and pulls out the last red one. Soon he is happily playing with his new red car.
Their resilience comes from an optimistic attitude. They don't worry about their illness, especially when they are playing. This optimism can sometimes fade, but when Flavia comes round, all their troubles are forgotten for a while and they are just normal children again, hoping to get their favourite red car.