Project report
Medicine for Child Stone-breakers, India
India
, RUN BY:
The Silk Route Project
| STATUS:
COMPLETED
Dr Simon Davis doing first aid on the kids who work and live amongst the stone-breaking communities
AUD 500
Raised from 2 people
“We ended up servicing two communities - Chenga (2500 occupants) and
Balason (3500) occupants. We visited the communities for a week,
administering first aid and supporting the chiropractors from Murdoch
University. Our focus was children but we also treated a number of
adults.
We were extremely busy, doing at least 11 hours a day on
site, treating all sorts of conditions. There were a lot of kids
needing to be de-wormed, lots of dysentery, eye infections, ear
infections, rashes, ... it was really full on. We also managed to refer
dozens of children to hospital who were suffering suspected conditions
beyond our scope of treatment. Conditions such as HIV, TB, Malaria,
Cholera, Hepatitis and Syphilis.
At the end of the week I
purchased an incredible quantity of supplies for the doctor who visits
the communities weekly. It is absolutely amazing how cheap medical
supplies are over here! 300 Panadol tablets for about $6!!! In the end
I bought huge amounts of the supplies as originally outlined and there
was money left over to buy other essentials – de-worming tabs, cough
syrup, syringes, even four pairs of crutches. I expect that it will
last the communities for at least a year.
The people were very, very grateful.”
DR SIMON DAVIS, PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR.
Three communities have settled near the riverbeds of Siliguri and the
children work collecting stones from the river, breaking them and then
selling it on to contractors. Their work is literally back breaking and
their living conditions are appalling with health care and education
virtually non-existent. That a 10 year old child has no choice but to
wield a sledge hammer all
day is an utter tragedy. Without great resources we can’t change his
lot in life however with a small amount of well utilised funds we can
safeguard his health.
Some of the doctors from the local
hospital voluntarily give medical attention to the children however
there is no funding for supplies and even basic medicines are lacking.
This project will supply those basic but very essential medicines.
Mr Simon Davis and Mr Craig James will visit Siliguri for a week starting 26/6/06. The three communities concerned are -
i. East Rangia stone breakers community( Balasun river bed)
ii. Kuchumuni stone breakers community( Chenga river bed)
iii. Sahni tola stone breakers community ( Mahananda river bed)
In
co-operation with the doctors from the local hospital Mr Davis and Mr
James will distribute the supplies and administer first aid to
stone-breaker children.
A group of 16 staff and students from
Murdoch University Chiropractic Department will be servicing the sites
at the same time. Everyone involved is very excited that with the two
projects combined the children will receive such incredible and
comprehensive attention.
The Murdoch University team have
arranged to set up a treatment area at a site each day and provide
chiropractic care for the children. Mr Davis and Mr James will be able
to set up an ad hoc triage and dispensary section within the same
treatment area to allow ideal space management and treatment cohesion.
Co-ordination
of the project in situ will be provided by the Seva Kendra Centre – a
local charity directed by Father James Gonsalves which does what it can
for the three communities. They will provide interpreters, additional
staff if necessary and a jeep for transporting the supplies.
It
is expected that there will be a substantial amount of material left
over at the end of the week – this will be left at the Seva Kendra
Centre for the doctor’s use in further servicing of the communities