Medical Consultations

    Dr. T.M. Chinnaiyan at medical consultation of a child with cosmetic problem at Dasasamudaram Health Centre, on 03 November, 2010

5 Clinics were conducted during the month at both centre's. 371 medical consultations were made.

Twenty Six Leprosy patients and Fouteen Tuberculosis patients are under treatment.

? Tuberculosis 

? Tuberculosis

Cosmetic & Skin

Vitamin Deficiency

Fungal Infection - Neck and Shoulders

1. Psoriasis associated with Dermatitis

2.

Suspected Cervical Spondylitis - Orthopaedics

- Neck Movements

Grip Assessment

Shoulder Girdle Action

Examination for wasting of muscles of upper extremities

Medicines

M. Pilavendran-Health Worker, issuing medicines to a patient at Navapatty Health Centre on 19 November, 2010

Medicines

Medicines were issued to 371 patients at both centre’s.

10 Leprosy patients and 7 Tuberculosis patients received drugs for the period. 

93 prescriptions in Skin patients

261 prescriptions in General Medicine, were issued.

Patient receiving medicines for her child from health worker M. Pilavendran at Dasasamudaram Health Centre, on 24 November, 2010.

Lab Screening

S. Daniel-Lab Technician screening patient for Tuberculosis at Dasasamudram Centre 0n 17 November, 2010

57 Patients were screened in lab for Early Leprosy, Tuberculosis and General Medical problems for the month at both centre's. 

Skin smear in Leprosy, Sputum smear and Tuberculin Testing in Tuberculosis is a routine carried out at the main centre three days a week. Routine screening of Tuberculosis, Diabetics and screening of General Medical problems are done on request of doctor.

Skin Smear - 2

Tuberculosis - 5

General Medicine - 50

Health Centres

38 Patients from 16 villages approached Health Centre at Dasasamudaram-Omalur on 10 November, 2010

Acwerk Health Centre`s conducts screening in early detection of Leprosy and Tuberculosis at two Centres.

Two center's cater to the requirements, at Dasasamudram (Omalur) and Navapatty (Mettur);

1           Acwerk Rural Health Centre

                 4/121, Dasasamudram

                 Poosaripatty P.O. (Kadayampatty Block Jurisdiction)

                 Omalur Taluk, Salem District-636305, Tamilnadu - INDIA

The Centre at Dasasamudram is the main centre and functions six days a week between 10 AM to 2 PM. A manager of the Centre, a Health Supervisor, a Lab Technician, Three Health workers in distribution of Medicines and Registration of patients, a Driver and two Helpers  are involved in the functions of the Centre’s. 371 Registrations were made from 45 villages in both centre's.

Screening of patients is done by the health supervisor, manager clinics and lab technician after the patients are registered. They are given health education and advise to consult the doctor with their preliminary reports.

Awareness of early signs of Leprosy and Tuberculosis is imparted to the patients along with the method by which they are managed at the centre. That is, on diagnosis of the relevant condition, initial medication is monitored, their medication and schedule explained, periodical lab screening and regular medical review every fifteen days.
Pictures on left show patients approaching centre at Dasasamudaram, screening and registration by J. Elizabeth- manager clinics and Athiya Chinnaiyan-Trustee and Communications and D. Joseph-Health Supervisor.

The Navapatty Centre functions four times a month between 10 AM to 4 PM.

A. Maliga, Health Worker registers patients at Navapatty Health Centre on 19 November, 2010

2.                     Acwerk Rural Health Centre

                 2/4.563, Mariamman Koil Street

                 Navapatty P.O. (Mettur Rural)

                 Mettur Taluk-636452, Tamilnadu - INDIA

Communication

M. Pilavendran, Health Worker at Karunkallur Village with workers at road laying site on 18 November, 2010

Communication occupies an important place in our performance. The importance is to reach out to people and make them aware of an accessible health care and to prevent disability and chest infection.

The Health supervisor and his team of three Health Workers visit residents of villages, primary schools and day care centre’s at Mettur. Usually the visit is followed by a clinic at Navapatty. Duration of such visits is between 10 AM. to 4 PM. 

At Omalur, the team approach patients who come to the centre for screening to spread the word in their respective villages. We had already conducted an extensive awareness and screening programme for school children and community in 2008 and 2009. The team approach residents with an introduction of our centre’s and people who are involved. Accessible health care explained and how they could approach it. Early sings in Leprosy, Tuberculosis and their consequences explained to them.

We have had good response from our visits this year and comparatively the case finding in Leprosy is more at Navapatty than at Omalur. Early Leprosy affects good number of women and children. Almost fifty percent of Leprosy detection is at Navapatty from less than ten percent of 2429 consultations so far this year. 

Spoken expression is the dominant mode of communication by our health workers. Information about health care accessibility imparted carries an official and occupational content. A message about the cause of disability that combines an emotional content, the effort carries an implication of improving health care and well-being of people in proximity to our health centre's. The activity made on foot and giving room for people to acknowledge a certain time to interact with our health workers.

Pictures on left show D. Joseph, Health Supervisor and M. Pilavendran, Health Worker communicating to residents of Karunkallur Village, Mettur proximal to Acwerk Navapatty Health Centre; on 18 November, 2010.