A wonderful experience by Doctor

This is a real life story of a little angel, Kumari Chansu Pangtha, now eight years old. She lives in a very remote village near Kharsang town.

The name of her village is Namchik Hawi inhabited by a very small sub-tribe of Tangsa i.e. Hawi. The villagers are very poor and less educated. I saw her for the first time in November 2020, when I attended Rangfraa Day celebration in their village. I saw a little girl walking, rather limping, with the help of a stick. I thought that she was playing with her friends like this. After the program was over, I asked someone about her and he told me that few months ago she injured herself by falling from her Chang Ghar. After that incident, she can’t walk properly. I enquired if she got any medical treatment and was answered negatively. I immediately called her mother and examined the child. I found some swelling near her right hip joint and she felt pain when I pressed that area. I told her mother to take her to the nearby hospital for a hip joint x-ray and inform me afterwards. I requested our well wishers to do the follow up and keep in touch with me. After a few days, they send me the x-ray report. I discussed the case with some of my Orthopedic friends and they told me that without clinical examination it is difficult to diagnose. By that time the second wave of Corona started and it became really difficult to bring her out for diagnosis and treatment. So, I contacted Dr. Sunil Godbole, one renowned orthopedic surgeon from Nashik and shared her x-ray reports. He told me to share some of her videos so that he could get some idea. I went to her village and took some videos and shared with Dr. Godbole Sir. He told me that it is not a fracture or dislocation case and thorough investigation is needed to find out the cause. The nearest higher centre is Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh but due to Corona, they didn’t want to come. We tried to convince them but suddenly her father died of TB. During that period Missionaries of Charity people came to their village for medical camp and they also noticed her. They wanted to provide her medical help but the villagers told that as Vivekananda Kendra Medical Team is looking after the case, they should contact us. Felix Anthony, the Father of the Miao church contacted me and had expressed his wish to bring her to Dibrugarh. He requested that we should take initiative to admit her in Hospital as the family and the villagers are close and comfortable with us. I contacted Dr. Hemanta Kumar Dutta, HOD of Pediatric Surgery Department and Dr. Kinkar Mahanta, Associate Professor, of Pediatric Surgery Department and fixed an appointment. The child was shifted to Dibruagarh in an ambulance and she was admitted. After thorough investigation, she was diagnosed with bone TB. The treatment started immediately and she started responding. Two of our Karyakartas, Sri Songe Pangtha and Sri W.Mandok stayed with her for one month. We were in touch with them for the entire period and ensured that there shouldn’t be any problem. Some of my local contacts of Dibrugarh Medical College helped a lot during that period. After one month, she was discharged but she had to continue her treatment for eight more months. We provided her nutritional supplements during her treatment period. I was in a regular contact with them to know her progress and met her a few occasions when I visited her village. She was recovering fast. 

I was so glad to meet her yesterday i.e. 23rd June 2023 when I was in her village for a medical camp. Now she can walk without any support. She is growing and glowing, playing with her friends and going to primary school regularly. May God bless her.

Dr. Debashis Dey Adhikary

SSM Pramukh

VK Arun Jyoti, Arunachal Pradesh

 

Dental and Medical Camp

 

Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti Arunachal Pradesh conducted free Dental Consultation Camps in various schools of East Siang, West Siang and Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh from 14 th to 17 th September 2022. Dr. Arjun Vaishnav and Dr. Shiwani Diwakar from Bhilwara, Rajasthan rendered their valuable services. The team conducted dental awareness program also. They screened more than 900 students at VKV, Oyan, Donyi Polo Vidya Niketan, Norlung, VKV, Jirdin, primary and secondary school, Kombo, JNV, Kombo and primary school, Pakeng. Two Free Medical Camps were also organized by the Mobile Medical Team at Kombo village of West Siang district and Pakeng village of Siang district. 262 patients were examined and free medicines were provided to the patients.

Free Eye Screening Camp by VK Arun Jyoti

 

Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti Arunachal Pradesh organized a free eye screening camp at Wakro CHC, Lohit district from 1^st June to 3^rd June 2022. Dr. Udayan Dixit, a highly experienced Ophthalmologist from Pune, Maharastra came voluntarily to render his valuable services. A total of 154 patients were screened during the camp for various eye ailments. Patients from all the villages of Wakro circle including the remote villages came to avail of the benefit. 28 patients were found with cataracts and they will be operated on soon. 110 pairs of spectacles were distributed free of cost. Eye medicines were given to patients.

Earlier on 1^st June, the camp was inaugurated by Sri Tamo Riba, EAC, Wakro. In his inaugural speech, he lauded the efforts of Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti in the field of primary health care in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh and assured all possible help for such venture in the future also. This is to be mentioned that Dr. Dixit had visited Arunachal Pradesh earlier and he conducted such camps in Khonsa and Longding with Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti in 2019 and 2020.    

Free Mega Medical Camp at Riga village

The Swasthya Seva Manch (Health Service Forum) of Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti, Arunachal Pradesh organized a Mega Free Medical Camp at Riga village of Siang district on 14^th and 15^th December 2021. On 14^th December, the camp was formally inaugurated by Honorable MLA, Sri Ojing Tasing. The District Medical Officer of Siang District, Extra Assistant Commissioner of Riga and Zilla Parishad Member of Riga were also present during the inauguration. Along with the regular Doctor of Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti, the following Doctors participated in the camp-

1.      Dr. Tunu Taki( Physician)

2.      Dr.Kaling Tatin(Pediatrician)

3.      Dr. Tiyang Taga (Orthopedic Surgeon)

4.      Dr. Genom Panggang(ENT Surgeon)

5.      Dr. Freeda Tamut(Physician)

The medical team treated 367 patients and free medicines were provided to the patients. Many patients from nearby villages also attended the camp. The local youths and women self help groups of Riga village extended their support to the medical team to make the camp a successful one. The Peging welfare association arranged the accommodation of the medical team.   

MISSION SHAKTI: An Updated Report

Vivekananda Kendra Swasthya Seva Sadan, Laipuli, Tinsukia, Assam and Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti, Arunachal Pradesh in association with India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF), USA started an anaemia detection and eradication program, MISSION SHAKTI for women in 16 villages in Tinsukia district of Assam and Changlang , Tirap and Namsai districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The program was launched on 1^st January 2021. Our team conducted 16 camps and examined 1381 women. 716 women (12 yrs to 45 yrs) were screened for Anaemia and 206 women were found as acutely anaemic by March 2021. Almost 30% women were found as acute anaemic. Counselling of anaemic women were done and they were informed about their iron deficiency and were advised to consume iron rich locally available food like dark green leafy vegetables , banana flower etc.  All anaemic women were provided with Iron Folic Acid supplements. Initially, we provided them supplements for three months. After three months, second round of Haemoglobin estimation will be done to see the impact. We have already done the second round of screening in one village and it was found that the haemoglobin level has been substantially increased in all the four anaemic women of that village.

It is a research work as we are working in various ethnic groups of Tinsukia district and Eastern Arunachal Pradesh. The communities included are tea tribes, Tangsa, Ahom, Missing, Sonowal Kachari, Motok and Hindi speaking migrants. As per the present data available with us, it is found that in Missing community, anaemia is more prevalent as we found nearly 60% women are anaemic. So, we are planning to include a few more Missing villages in the second phase. Along with conducting medical camps, we are studying the food habits of various ethnic groups, their life styles, their way of growing nutritious vegetables etc. to find a holistic solution to eradicate anaemia.      

Universal Brotherhood Day Program at Tinsukia

Universal Brotherhood Day was celebrated on 11^th September 2020 by Vivekananda Kendra Medical Centre, Laipuli, Tinsukia and Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti, Arunachal Pradesh at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Laipuli, Tinsukia, Assam. The program started with Three Omkara and Santi Path. Sada Vivekanandamayam song was presented by Kum. Purnima. Dr. Debashis Dey Adhikary explained about the significance of the day. He even mentioned about the completion of 50 years of Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari. Sri Guru Charan Das, Principal, VKV, Laipuli shared the details about Universal Brotherhood Day. Then various points mentioned in the letter sent by Ma. Nivedita Didi from Kanyakumari was discussed and Sri Sagar Lad initiated it. Then we discussed various VK activities of our projects during pandemic. DR.B.Roy, Sri Guru Charan Das, Kum. Purnima and Gagan Majumder shared their experiences about medical, academic and relief works during this extra ordinary situation.

Sri Ram Gopal Agarwalla and Sri Samiran Bose, both are members of our Vidyalaya Management Committee also present during the program. A total 18 people participated and physical distancing and other Covid 19 protocols were strictly maintained during the program. The program was concluded with Santi Mantra.

Basic Health Camps and Ration distribution by Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti

Due to the current Covid 19 situation and travel restrictions, the Mobile Medical Unit of Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti had to suspend its regular medical activities in Arunachal Pradesh from last three months. As monsoon has already started, seasonal diseases like flu, fever, common cold, diarrhea, dysentery and fungal infections of skin are rising.  To respond this situation, our Swasthya Seva Manch team decided to conduct a few basic health camps in some remote villages of Kantang and Khimiyong circles of Changlang district. We sent some basic medicines to them and four villages were selected for camps. Our Health Workers, Sri Holang Wangrey, Sri Thampu Tangha, Sri Thungsam Tangha and Sri Repu Rekhung conducted four camps at Chingsa, Sohelaktong, Yanman and Makantong from 9^th to 12^th July. Heavy rainfall and landslide in some places made their task very difficult but they successfully reached to all the villages and conducted the camps. A total 180 villagers were treated during the camps. To give maximum benefits to the villagers, out team had done tele consultation for the first time. Through video calling, our health workers contacted our Doctor and he advised what medicines should be prescribed to patients, who were seriously ill. . It was a new experience for the team. Along with the basic health camp our team educated the villagers about the outbreak of Corona virus and preventive measures .Similarly the Health Worker team of Wakka circle of Longding districts is also conducting basic health camps in their areas. Few weeks back, we sent some basic medicines to Lazu circle also and our team conducted such camps at Pongkong, Longliang and Lazu villages.

Meanwhile, under our Project Poshan (A nutritional Initiative by Vivekananda Kendra Arun Jyoti and IDRF, USA) program, like previous month, our team distributed 5 k.g. rice to 510 children in the month of June 2020. The beneficiaries were from Pongkong, Longliang, Raho and Lazu villages of Tirap district and Khanu and Wakka villages of Longding district. This occasion, our team called the parents and handed over the rice bag to their hands.

 We received the information that 31 families of Sanliam village of Lazu circle are in great difficulty because of current situation and our team distributed 5 k.g. of rice to every family. Sri Jenlong Sapong of Lazu area and Sri Saikhang Sir of Wakka area took the whole responsibility for smooth distribution of rice. All the Karyakartas were involved.