MKF's proactive curative program encompasses efforts to cure diseases and illnesses, and to treat medical conditions.
A. MOBILE CLINIC :-
The mobile clinic was started in February 2002, the first undertaking following our inception. The trust recognized that a lot of people in the surrounding village have no means of transportation, except walking, who may find it difficult to come to the Marufpur Health Center for their medical needs. A mobile clinic on the other hand would be able to reach the interior villages which will prove to be a big help to a majority of people. Four day of the week mobile clinic works at Tirganwan village and Sadhan Village.
B. 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE AT OUR MARUFPUR CLINIC :-
Since inception and as a part of the strategic plan, we started a 24 hours emergency service at Marufpur center to take care of the most immediate and acute health condition of the patients coming from the surrounding villages. Cases like accidents, poisoning, burn, heart problems, diarrhea, stomach ache, etc. that require immediate attention are treated here. For running this service we have a team of one doctor and one compounder who work in the night shift to take care of emergencies. As the area lacks adequate health care facilities, the 24 hours emergency service has turned out to be instrumental in saving thousands of lives in the past 14 years.
C. BABY DELIVERY SERVICE :-
10 Years ago, we were facing a major problem in the form of pregnant women and child delivery cases, due to the lack of a gynecologist and appropriate facilities. But with the support of our generous donors and the commitment of our team we have been able to set up a fully functional baby delivery system which consists of fully trained staff and a well equipped labor room and baby care unit.
Setting up the baby delivery facilities has been a major milestone for
Manav Khidamat Foundation , as the nearest nursing home is 10 km.
away. Besides helping the poor, it has brought us a huge relief. Prior to its
opening, we had to turn away most of the delivery cases (declining service to a patient is heartbreaking), except when the patient was extremely poor.
D. 24 HOURS AMBULANCE SERVICE :-
As a great relief to the thousands of poor villagers in this area, MKF introduced an ambulance service from the time of inception. For most of the villagers requiring emergency care at city hospitals, especially during the night, all doors for assistance and quality health care were closed prior to the MKF program. MKF charged an amount of Rs. 6/- per Km. just in order to avoid misuse of the service of the local folks. The ambulance was frequently used for brining patients to the MKF clinic or Varanasi hospitals. With the excellent Government ambulance service that began 2 years ago, the need for the MKF ambulance has steadily decreased and is minimal now. MKF welcomes this change because our objective is service, not profit.
E. Screening patients for serious illnesses, such as heart diseases, cancer, orthopedic irregularities, blood diseases, eye diseases and kidney diseases.
F. Emergency transportation to the nearest city hospitals, using our ambulance service.
G. Treatment of common diseases including fever, malaria, tuberculosis, joint pain, gastroenteritis, anemia, parasite complications, respiratory diseases and infections.
H. Special clinics for previously screened patients requiring the care of medical specialists. For example, each year since our inception, we have held special clinics for pediatric, gynecological and eye diseases as well as hydrocele surgery.
I. Two in-patient wards- a 6 bed female ward and a 6 bed male ward
2. Preventative Program
The preventative program is meant to privent from disease and support the ongoing wellness of its participants through
Nutritional Supplements Vaccinations, Health Education, Services and
Family Planning.
A. PROVIDING NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS TO PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN :-
In 60 identified and selected villages of block Chahaniya , where more than 70% of pregnant women, children and new born babies are anemic and undernourished, MKF provides nutritional supplements every month.
During the first and second week of every month, MKF prevention team goes to each of the 60 villages and provides free medical check-up to pregnant women and children up to the age of 5 years. After their check-up, they are provided Nutritional supplements, Multivitamins, Vitamin A, Iron, Folic Acid and Calcium supplements. A nominal some of Rs.10/- per person per month is charged in order to prevent misuse. Prenatal care includes monthly monitoring of the weight, blood pressure and pregnancy related problems. If needed, women are advised to visit the physician at our Marufpur hospital for check up and adequate consultation. For the children, their weights are recorded and growth charts are plotted each month. Adequate attention and advised is provided to children with chronic malnutrition and other specific health problems.
B. VACCINATION FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, MEN AND CHILDREN :-
MKF provides vaccination in the 60 target villages. During the first & second week of each month, MKF prevention teams reach each of the 60 villages and immunize the target group, which has played a major role in preventing threatening diseases like Polio, Measles, Diptheria, Hepatitis-B and Tetanus.
MKF takes great pains and pride in the recording and maintenance of data and health record. With the help of a proper MIS, records of the pregnant women and children are maintained at the MKF headquarters in Marufpur. This helps in maintaining and enhancing the flow of service to the target population.
MKF prevention program complements the healthcare program that the Government provides in the villages of Chandauli.
C. HEALTH EDUCATION :-
The lack of interest in health education and awareness in the village population has been a major challenge for us from day one. We continually brainstorm contemplate and try various schemes to improve this situation.
Now we run this program with help of multimedia. During the last 5 years, we purchased several Maruthi vans, a number of Television sets, Batteries and DVD players. With the help of these, we show the villagers multimedia programs that showcase the importance of cleanliness, health and hygiene and precautions that can prevent illness. With the introduction of multimedia, the attendance of these sessions is increasing gradually.
D. FAMILY PLANNING :-
At the outset we conduct a survey of the target village, documenting the families' history, including the educational background o, profession, medical history, ages etc.
On the completion of the survey, women in the child bearing age are divided into three groups: A, B and C. (A)- Who have three children or more, (B)- Who have one or two children, (C)- newlywed with no children. The methodology adopted was to hold individual discussion and counseling with the families, as opposed to group seminars. We hire women field workers from the villages that we serve. They visit the women in the child bearing age one on one and once each month. This methodology creates relationship and confidence between our field workers and the families they visit.
The program is not forced on the women. MKF takes great pain to empower them and to help them make decisions for themselves. They are encouraged and supported in getting their husbands involved to in the decision making process as there is a need to develop harmony, not division in the family. We try to educate the category "A" women for family planning.
Data analysis shows that, as a result of MKF prevention program, 90% of the pregnant women who took part in the program delivered healthy babies. Likewise, 90% of the children who received regular nutritional supplements and vaccination did not suffer from the common childhood diseases prevalent in the area.
3. Other Programs
A. Scholarships to local school children
B. Tricycle for the handicappeds
C. Building toilets in local schools.
4. Rotary Grants
Rotary International is a big supporter of our programs and has funded our various projects.
