Achievements in 2001

In continuation of previous pages, the hospital in Gwalior celebrated its foundation day on 28th Oct. 2001 in presence of Mr.K.P.Singh,the minister for rural development and animal welfare; Mr.Wasim Akhtar, the Collector and District Magistrate, Gwalior, Mr.Anwar-Ul-Haq, the Consultant Ophthalmologist from Glasgow and many respectable citizens of Gwalior and Chambal region alongwith five volunteer experts from U.K.. To commemorate the occasion, specialists medical camps and seminars were organised at the hospital from 22nd Oct to 5th Nov.. Eye camps were organised for prevention of blindness and workshops held to train local ophthalmologists with current techniques.

As you know on 22nd July 2001, 1000th day of these trusts being functional providing all services to the poor and needy, was celebrated with opening of the Sunrise International School as school for special needs alongwith multispeciality medical camps in the area. On the day we took Mercy Home, the Orphanage for mentaly disabled children and the orphanage for blind girls under our umbrella to provide health and education services to the children there. The Gwalior Health and Education Society has been set up to take care of health and education needs in schools, orphanages and rural areas, as well to look into establishment of third part of our project to start the school, orphanage with rehabilitation and training centre for disabled and destitute children in Gwalior and Chambal region. We have approached Govt. authorities for allotment of a suitable land for the purpose to initiate this work soon.

During these periods of these hospitals being functional inspite of many teething troubles and lack of funds or any financial support from the local Government authorities, this charity has supported the work to the extent that:-

The hospitals
101181 patients have been benefitted with consultations, investigations, operations and treatment facilities inclusive of 47853 in this year through these hospitals and its associated units. Afree OPD is run from 9A.M. to 7P.M. every day manned by specialists in all disciplines. Other facilities are provided for nominal charges. This year we have been able to add kidnay dialysis services in the hospital in addition to other existing facilities. We will not linke to refuse any poor person for free treatment, but sometimes hard decisions are taken for lack of funds and financial support, though we try to provide maximum within our limited means to all poor, disabled and destitute people in the region. The hospital provides emergency and ambulance services all 24 hrs. of the day throughout the year. Gwalior administration and police department has recognised and appreciated the emergency services provided by this hospital free of any charges.

Volunteers
191 volunteer experts from U.K.,U.S.A. and U.A.E. have visited and participated in the training of local doctors, nurses, paramedics, teachers and students at the hospital,its various units,adhar public school, Sunrise Intl. School, Mercyhome and with other like minded sister organisations as well provided their services to the community inclusive of 74 in this year. Our four volunteers also worked in Gujarat with earthquake victims alongwith mobile hospital and rescue teams in Feb.and March 2001. This volunteer programme continues throughout the year with ever increasing no. of experts to support this programme.

Medical Camps
107 multispeciality medical camps have been held with special emphasis on health education and prevention , early diagnosis and treatment of various medical problems in these areas.

Eye Centre
We have worked actively for prevention of blindness and creating awareness for preventable eye diseases like Xerophthalmia, trachoma,night blindness etc., which are quite common in this area. The hospital has been recognised by the society for the prevention of blindness in India for its work. We have requested Helpage and Sight Savers of India for funds to provide free IOL operations and spectacles to poor people. Gwalior Ophthalmic Centre has been providing services with eye check up , advise, treatment and operations under the guidance of Prof.B.Shukla, President of all India Ophthalmic society as our honorary director. All poor people are provided spectacles and IOL operations free of any charges. We have just received promise by Helpage India for their agreement for grant of Rs.60000 (£900) for organising rural eye camps and 100 IOL operations. This grant will help us in extension of existing services. We also plan to develop an eye bank at this centre to add on much needed facilities in this area. We are very much obliged for continued support of Dr. Anwar-Ul-Haq from Glasgow (U.K.), who has been the inspiration behind this eye centre and its eye services. He visited Gwalior again this year and worked with us for two weeks , during this years foundation day celebrations, providing his expert services at this centre in addition to his continued support as advisor to the charity in U.K. as well in getting equipment, supplies and fund raising for this centre.

Vaccination programme
We continue to work actively in prevention of in prevention of Polio, Measles, Hepatitis B, Meningitis etc. alongwith other routine vaccination programmes. A vaccination clinic is run every day at the hospital. We have been working to create health awareness to improve upon hygiene,sanitation as well prevention of malnutrition, other preventable infections and early diagnosis of common ailments, alongwith importance of vaccinations through our school health programmes and specialists medical camps in slums, rural and remote areas throughout the year.

Slums and rural development work
All services including supply of medicines in slums, rural and remote areas are provided absolutely free of any charges through our rural health centres, subcentres and frequently organised specialists medical camps with support of local sponsors and like minded sister organisations , special names to mention are Mr.Dhakre of MPCT and Mr.Singh of Sambhav. We have a proposal to start a new rural health centre at Village Milawali, with support of local punchayat and Mr.Kotnala of Gwalior Distillaries. We are looking for availability of land by local panchayat for the purpose to initiate same.

Schools and Orphanages
981 children in various orphanages and schools in slum areas, school for blind, deaf and dumb children have been adopted and are provided all services free. In addition any poor disabled or destitute child is provided all care free through our hospital and schools. This year we have adopted all children at Mercyhome(the orphanage for mentaly disabled children), the orphanage for blind girls, Seva Bharati's school for poor tribal children at village Kedarpur in addition to ongoing facilities to children at other orphanages and schools adopted earlier. Adhar public school and Sunrise International School, the school for special needs with main stream school are providing education to 88 children. Our three volunteers from U.K.(Rebecca Conklin, Victoria Sleet and Bonny Squire) worked with us at Gwalior from Jan. to July helping us to organise and start Sunrise International School, as school for special needs with 28 children to begin with. Since then the no. has increased to 49. We shall add respite care and rehabilitation facilities soon. They worked to improve on the play facilities within the Hospital too. However we should not forget their hard work and contributions to improve upon the living conditions and play facilities at Mercy Home, though it has been a challenging task and many times very frustrating due to existing culture and attitude of local people. They were given full support by divisional commissioner Mr.Bimal Julka. The work initiated by them has been brought to completion only by Mrs.Wasim Akhtar , with support of local Government authorities and sister organisations with her continuous hard work, interest and efforts since. One has to visit and see personaly to realise the real change at this place. We congratulate our these volunteers and Mrs. Akhtar for this work.

Fund raising
At home front , our colleagues, volunteers and supporters continue to help us in fund raising by various means organising various activities. Special names to mention are Dr. Margaret Garman, who has organised for books and table sales many times, Mrs. Lynda McShane by participating in charity run , Ms. Caroline O'Shaughunassy by organising massage and counselling , Ms.Amanda Nelson by organising exhibitions of paintings and the list goes on. The list of experts to volunteer their services at Gwalior is growing. They continue to help us to train local staff members and students and provide their services to the community there with their expertise throughout the year. We have started this program now to include students and trainees also to help them gain work experience and an opportunity to see a different culture and life style.

However our efforts in getting any substantive financial support from any corporate organisations or grant making bodies have not born any fruits yet and we continue to suffer with delay and restrictions in achieving our targets, in spite of all our determinations and efforts.That does not discourages us, but strengthens our hands and determinations for our committment. We shall continue by all means as we can in the best possible way remembering and gaining strength from " One can not do everything, it does not mean that one shouldn't do anything." and we are sure to achieve success with all the help and support from growing network of our volunteers and supporters.