Community health services have been a part of the outreach from Bangalore Baptist Hospital from early days. During my tenure there I was involved in mobile clinics and teaching of village health workers. Naturally I wanted to visit with the community health team to see what they are currently doing. Their services and types of programs offered have significantly expanded.
Out the back gate of the hospital and about 10 minutes drive away is a section of the city called D.J. Halli. This area's health problems include water shortage, poor sewage and drainage, mosquito infestation, and infrequent garbage disposal. An expansion of work of the public health department to provide health care in an urban setting has been undertaken here.
A building has been rented and staff provide health care there five days a week. The average number of patients seen daily is 35.
A Muslim man comes to the urban health center for check of his blood pressure and receipt of medications. Medications are provided at a subsidized rate so they will be less than half of the cost of those purchased in a local pharmacy.
We left the urban clinic and started north on Bellary Road which runs in front of the hospital. In 1984 when we left India this was a small two lane road. Today it is three lanes in either direction. In the right upper corner looking out the windshield you will see concrete structures which are being build to support the new express lanes for 16 miles north of the city to the new International Airport. We traveled those miles until the road turned east into the access road for the airport. About two miles north of there we came to our first village in Devanahalli taluk (county). Here the hospital provides rural health services in several villages.
A big problems now being seen in many of the villages is alcoholism. One of the services offered by the community health team is an alcohol addiction program where support groups and encouragement are offered. We visited in the home of the gentleman in the picture above who has participated in the program and has now been able to stay sober and keep a job. The two boys with hm in the picture are nephews, children of his brother who died of an alcohol related illness. Not fully seen, but the picture on the wall is the picture of the dead brother.
Another of the individuals who was helped through the alcohol withdrawal program was Ramesh, He was unable to work because of the alcohol problem. After completing the program he has been able to get back to work, operating a barber shop in his village and driving an auto-rickshaw. Ramesh also volunteers his help with other alcohol withdrawal camps in the area. Here he is seen with his family and Dr. Gift Norman, director of the community health program for Bangalore Baptist Hospital.
In another village we were able to visit the site for the mobile clinic which comes every two weeks. In addition to the twice monthly visits by the doctor, nurse, and health team, this village has a health volunteer who resides in the village and has had training to care for basic health needs. The building used for the clinic is owned by the dairy cooperative in the community and they allow the hospital to use the facilities to hold clinics.
A major problem which has developed in villages around
Bangalore is the flight of younger people to the cities in search of jobs. This results in the breakdown of the extended family which traditionally has been responsible for care of the aging population. The community health team became aware that these older adults were not getting sufficient food. They thus began to provide one hot meal a day in a central village for the older people. The lady in orange who is serving the food lives in the village and has volunteered to cook and serve the food.
In another small village is the Mother Theresa Hospital. Muslim man from the community was a patient at Bangalore Baptist Hospital. He had been trying unsuccessfully to get a hospital started in the community. He was so pleased with the care he received through the hospital that he offered to building to Bangalore Baptist Hospital. This allowed the community health team to establish a small hospital which has a ward where patients can receive care during the day and remain overnight. There is an operational laboratory, set up and staffed by a retired laboratory technician from the main hospital. The small hospital also provides a place where rehabilitative therapy can be provided in the community. An average of 300 outpatients a month are seen by staff of the hospital.
At the end of our visit the staff gave shawls to each of the foreign guests, again as part of their tradition of respect and gratitude. The gentleman who is giving me my shawl is Jayapaul. He is the retired laboratory technician who has helped set up the lab. When I was hospital administrator nearly 30 years ago, I was the one who hired Jayapaul to work at Bangalore Baptist Hospital.
A building has been rented and staff provide health care there five days a week. The average number of patients seen daily is 35.
 |
| Staff waiting for arrival of patients |
A Muslim man comes to the urban health center for check of his blood pressure and receipt of medications. Medications are provided at a subsidized rate so they will be less than half of the cost of those purchased in a local pharmacy.
We left the urban clinic and started north on Bellary Road which runs in front of the hospital. In 1984 when we left India this was a small two lane road. Today it is three lanes in either direction. In the right upper corner looking out the windshield you will see concrete structures which are being build to support the new express lanes for 16 miles north of the city to the new International Airport. We traveled those miles until the road turned east into the access road for the airport. About two miles north of there we came to our first village in Devanahalli taluk (county). Here the hospital provides rural health services in several villages.
 |
| Barbara Wikman walking with nurse into the village |
A big problems now being seen in many of the villages is alcoholism. One of the services offered by the community health team is an alcohol addiction program where support groups and encouragement are offered. We visited in the home of the gentleman in the picture above who has participated in the program and has now been able to stay sober and keep a job. The two boys with hm in the picture are nephews, children of his brother who died of an alcohol related illness. Not fully seen, but the picture on the wall is the picture of the dead brother.
In another village we were able to visit the site for the mobile clinic which comes every two weeks. In addition to the twice monthly visits by the doctor, nurse, and health team, this village has a health volunteer who resides in the village and has had training to care for basic health needs. The building used for the clinic is owned by the dairy cooperative in the community and they allow the hospital to use the facilities to hold clinics.
A major problem which has developed in villages around
Bangalore is the flight of younger people to the cities in search of jobs. This results in the breakdown of the extended family which traditionally has been responsible for care of the aging population. The community health team became aware that these older adults were not getting sufficient food. They thus began to provide one hot meal a day in a central village for the older people. The lady in orange who is serving the food lives in the village and has volunteered to cook and serve the food.
In another small village is the Mother Theresa Hospital. Muslim man from the community was a patient at Bangalore Baptist Hospital. He had been trying unsuccessfully to get a hospital started in the community. He was so pleased with the care he received through the hospital that he offered to building to Bangalore Baptist Hospital. This allowed the community health team to establish a small hospital which has a ward where patients can receive care during the day and remain overnight. There is an operational laboratory, set up and staffed by a retired laboratory technician from the main hospital. The small hospital also provides a place where rehabilitative therapy can be provided in the community. An average of 300 outpatients a month are seen by staff of the hospital.
At the end of our visit the staff gave shawls to each of the foreign guests, again as part of their tradition of respect and gratitude. The gentleman who is giving me my shawl is Jayapaul. He is the retired laboratory technician who has helped set up the lab. When I was hospital administrator nearly 30 years ago, I was the one who hired Jayapaul to work at Bangalore Baptist Hospital.
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