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INTRODUCTION:
As there is such an imperfect knowledge of well being and illness among the masses in this part of the world (Pakistan), from the fact that it is not generally taught at homes, schools or any other level. People in general, particularly those dwelling in the rural areas, slums and shantytowns are not knowledgeable about health matters. Here the majority of population lives but a miserable life braving poverty, illiteracy, disease, malnutrition with little or no access to clean drinking water, improper sanitation and waste management. Lack of awareness leads to misconceptions, myths and beliefs, which further aggravate the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. The guilt about the illness due to rampant illiteracy, ignorance, low esteem and lack of medical counseling, and also the scarcity of means and low wages precipitate to either denial of the existence of problem or reluctance to seek proper medical help.
These areas are usually not targeted in the national health awareness campaigns or epidemiological surveys; neither any visible health development projects are launched. Here access to the quality care is virtually unthinkable due to the gruesome economic conditions. Hence, the children of lesser god are left with no choice but resorting to less conventional, out dated methods of treatment and cheep traditional remedies, which not only add to their suffering but also make them vulnerable to the quacks and charmers, who are readily available and eagerly rob them with the trickery and deceit, causing permanent physical, psychological as well as spiritual damage.
In Yuhana Abad (the largest Christian slum of Lahore (Asia) along with its ten adjacent colonies, more than 90f its 80,000 inhabitants belong to the low-income settings, catered by only one registered primary health clinic, which is being funded internationally. Besides, there are scores of quacks, herbalists, charmers and untrained practitioners, who plunder on the scanty resources of the poor by selling all kinds of health. This goes on unchecked under the very nose of the authorities, who, for some reasons failed to legislate on quackery, illegal pharmaceuticals, sale of expired medicines and mal practitioners, all flourish well in these slums without any homage to set norms, standards, ethics or morality, devouring the masses without mercy.
Woefully, Yuhana Abad lies on the hub of industrial zone in the out skirts of south east Lahore and it supplies the major portion (more than 30 thousand) of the laborers working there under extremely harsh conditions with very nominal wages (Rs.3000 or US $50) to sustain the very basic needs of life. A considerable number (about 16 thousands) of these unfortunates work under bonded labor. Womenfolk being nearly half of the workforce are also sexually harassed and occasionally raped. Due to the economic lash back, the flesh trade also thrives here resulting in a surge of sexually transmitted diseases due to ignorance, and unsafe sex. This industrial zone like any other in the world does not come clean but plays a grisly role in polluting the very environment of the near by settlements, exposing the population to miserable diseases. According to a survey by Pakistan Laborer Rights Commission (2006), the population living in the closest vicinities of the industrial zones are at the brink of health disaster and it is very true in the case of Yuhana Abad where one need not be genius to figure out the dilemma of these people who go through the torment of living and dying with each breath they inhale, for the air they breath in is full of known toxins and the water is contaminated with an unnatural mixture of waste products dumped into the nearby soil or released into the atmosphere by tannery, textile, paper, rubber and paints manufacturing industries. One would find it shocking to come across a large number of handicapped, or every second passer by with unusually low body weight or almost every one choked by a bout of cough with copious sputum spewing out on the pathways.
The actual picture is formidably appalling; a large number of the population suffers from breathing problems; tuberculosis, pneumonitis and laryngitis being at the top. Almost 90f the population suffers from gastrointestinal disturbances and food intolerance and poisoning is a story found in every other person. Renal afflictions are very common with urinary tract infections and stones. Eye infections resulting from pollutants and blindness due to the cataracts and glaucoma are still to be acknowledged for. This slum witnesses most horrendous of malpractices by the untrained traditional midwives who perform illegal abortions, D & Cs, Antenatal and Deliveries at dark, filthy shops resulting in deaths of many women and children due to massive intranatal bleeding, unsafe instrumentations and secondary infections. Many birth defects can be attributed to exposure of the would-be-mothers to the tretogenic or mutagenic substances, which can be doubted very much due to the uncompromised, unsafe and polluted environment. Hepatitis, a leading killer is widespread in the population and there are numberless cases that are carriers of communicable diseases. Yuhana Abad is a classical example of neglect by the rural development authorities, where social or health well fair is not on the official agenda. Due to poor sewerage and waste management system, it is the ideal breeding ground for mosquito and flies. Water, food and air borne diseases are rampant including tropical and miscellaneous infections.
According to World Health Rreport-2006 and the statistic by the Gov. of Pakistan, the national afflictions by various diseases are quite gruesome and as if every one is carrying a burden of disease on his shoulders. The medical and other health and paramedical minds and muscles seems paralyzed due to severe shortages of care providers and its facilities chocked because of poor fund management. The study by World Health Organization points to the embarrassing indicators that for the population of 151 million Pakistanis there are only
116,298 Physicians 0.74 per 1000 population
71,764 Nurses 0.46 //
65,999 Community Health Workers 0.42 //
19,082 Other Health Workers 0.12 //
106 Public Environment H/ Workers 0.00 //
Source: World Health Report/Statistic 2006
The same report by the Government health department revealed the following startling figures:
- one child dies every minute mainly from diarrhea, acute respiratory infections and EPI diseases.
- Yearly, 300,000 infants die in first year of life, 160,000 being the neonates
- 25f the new born are low birth weight
- 51hildren are anemic
- 78re conducted at home
- 25,000 (30,000-EmoC, Pakistan) maternal deaths still occur every year
- 80he maternal deaths are direct obstetric deaths due to
- hemorrhage 36t;/FONT>
- ante partum hemorrhage 17t;/FONT>
- infection 16t;/FONT>
- aclempsia 14t;/FONT>
- abortions 11t;/FONT>
* 50,000 new T.B case surface every year, 75f them are earning group
* 500,000 malaria cases surge every year
* Hepatitis prevalence among general public is 2.6nd in pregnant women it is 3.8lt;/FONT>
Source: Ministry of Health Pakistan -2006
The equitable distribution of the state health funding lands into the major district hospitals only and the under-developed areas are deprived of their fair share. Nevertheless, the governmental departments are working relentlessly to improve health system of the country. To tackle the problems of overcrowding, Govt. of Punjab had spent about Rs.2 billion in 2005-6 in building expansion projects alone in its four major public hospitals at Lahore and scores of primary and secondary health setups are also being upgraded, but the expanded facilities dont seems suffice to meet the health needs of over 90 million Laborites, whereas the patients from other districts also keep pouring in for better treatment. In spite of rapid development of booming urban health industry from the investments by the private sector, the situation on ground remains unchanged because these are largely no-go-areas for the poor due to the heavy cost of the treatment, thus relying only on the governmental health set-ups where due to the heavy influx of the patients, a bed for admission or an appointment for an operation might take several weeks, if admitted as a selective case from out patient department. Of course, one wins immediate attention and gets admitted through emergency protocol, he might be lucky enough to find a bed in the corridor of the ward and with all the pros and cons in his mind, either he surrenders to his fate or may simply postpone or quit the idea of taking treatment any further making him most vulnerable to fall a prey to the ghost practitioners who are deeply meshed into the fabric of the society, luring innocent victims of the ailing health system with exotic slogans and promising total health at much cheaper cost.Thanks to the non-governmental health agencies with and charity hospitals, a sigh of relief for the underprivileged, they painstakingly work across the country to promote and maintain health and fight diseases at the very core of their breeding habitat.
MISSION STATEMENT:
C.A.P is determined to change the dogma of the current stinking system of therapeutic delivery in this area by introducing a compassionate and comprehensive Christian health care system to help people attain greater level of health and wellbeing under the slogan SERVICE, WORSHIP, EMINENCE, keeping in mind that the Health is mans only possession and every man has a right to a healthful living, and to work towards strengthening the national health services, ensuring Health For All.
OBJECTIVE:
C.A.P has set the following objectives in line with the policies of W.H.O, for taking care of Health of All in all its aspects of life:
1. To take suitable measures to
· maintain good sanitation and potable water supply
· provide education for self care, nutrition, prevention of health hazards and best use of medico- social measures and appropriate technology etc.
· prevent disabilities and treat illnesses by providing necessary organization of medical care, health care and nursing care.
· correct medical defects and rehabilitate those with handicap
2. Ascertain the extent of disease and disability in the community, conduct research to find out the causes, and investigate through research, improved methods and techniques for control of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
3. Improve the standard of living with the help of other sectors and active involvement of beneficiaries and people.
SALIENT FEATURES:
Mindful of the scenario, the C.A.P ministries-Pakistan with the help of its dedicated medical volunteers (three doctors, seven nurses, three paramedics and ten non- medics) had been holding free health awareness programs along with the free medical camps to educate the public about various health concerns and providing free treatment since one year to share the burden of this economically compromised community. To further the cause of spreading health awareness and to provide quality care at their door step, the C.A.P is poised to start various health initiatives in Yuhana Abad to help people attain greater levels of health and wellbeing, the projects are as follow:
- Setting up a Community Health Centre (Poly Clinic) where all the basic facilities including Laboratory, X-rays, Ultrasound, E.C.G, and provision of medicine shall be free of cost. Numerous specialized departments i.e., Dental, E.N.T, Ophthalmology, Diabetic clinic and Gyne/Obstetrics, Minor Operation Theater, Labor & Delivery room shall be operating under one roof along with the preventive medicine including vaccination & immunization program.
- Setting up a Community Paramedical Training School where diploma and certification courses shall be offered free to the incumbent students in the discipline of Midwifery, Nursing Assistant Physiotherapy Assistants, Operating Theater Assistants, E.C.G, X-ray and Laboratory Assistants, thus preparing the corps of medically literate professionals and raising the employment skills of the population as well for an honorable living.
- Setting up a Rehabilitation Centre for Special Children where special education and skills shall be taught to make them less dependent on the family and society.
- Setting up Slum Schools Health Program for all the slum schools in the vicinity to provide medical cover to every school going child
FUTURE PLANS:
Setting up an Awareness Media for the campaigns, workshops, seminars, medical camps, and free distribution of informative literature, banners, broachers, booklets and medical news journal on the issues of health and environment.
- Setting up a Medical Resource and Counseling Centre where health material, information, education and advice shall be provided free by the doctors and community health workers.
- Setting up an Epidemiological Research and Analysis Body for the surveillance of the communicable diseases, their causes, pattern and contagiousness.
CHANGING LIVES:
This project also, like other ministries by the C.A.P, is going to affect many lives and bring medico-socio-economic change as well with utmost precision. The Paramedical trainings and employments aspect also has a promising outcome for the majority of the younger population here. Due to the financial short comings, higher drop out rate or low school grades, the opportunities for further academic or professional education are bleak in both the public or private institutions, and are left with no choice but work at the factories and mills as laborers on very low wages and miserable conditions. Most of them would have thought of becoming a Nurse, a Med. Technologist, X-ray or O.T Technician, a Physiotherapist or even an E.C.G Technician. Ruined forever are the dreams of becoming a useful and respectable member of the society. There are reports of the young girls occasionally raped at their workplace or forced into prostitution, thanks to the poverty- the mother of all evils- they are damned for ever and are never accepted back into the families or the society.
Burying the head in the sand is not the remedy for the ills of the underprivileged. A small initiative by the C.A.P would make a great endeavor to save a good many souls by giving them the skills they longed for, thus restoring their esteem and the right to choose a respectful living. The Paramedical Training School, under the auspices of C.A.P, is offering trainings and courses which shall enhance the earning potentials of the younger Christian generation in this era of technological rapture and enable them to find a job in a healthier and safer environment which surely will affect and improve their living standard.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE
(POLY CLINIC)
OBJECTIVES:
C.A.P is determined to change the dogma of the current stinking system of therapeutic delivery in this area by introducing a compassionate and comprehensive health care system under the slogan SERVICE, WORSHIP, EMINENCE, keeping in mind that the Health is mans only possession and every man has a right to a healthful living. This facility shall serve the purpose of providing quality health care to the community regardless of the caste, color, creed and religion. Seven qualified Doctors, at least ten qualified Nurses, ten Community health workers, one Lab.tech., one X-ray tech. shall be hired for daily fulltime/ part time duty and other related health services/ activities i.e. awareness programs, counseling etc.
CHARGES:
As a goodwill gesture and in compliance with His commandment, all the services offered at Community Health Centre are free of charge. No any hidden charges are levied at patients
WORKING METHODOLOGY:
Two doctors (Medical Officers) shall be assigned for daily morning and evening duties.
- Five specialist doctors (ENT, Ophthalmology, Gyne/ Obs, G/P and Dentist) shall be visiting the facility on different days and shall be available for consultation on their respective OPD days.
- A Sonologist shall be hired and available for five days a week for selective ultrasound studies.
- Epidemiological studies and surveys shall be conducted by the Mos. and submitted to the department of disease and control.
- Ante natal and intra natal services shall be made available 24 hours a day and a Gynecologist shall be daily on-call in the Labor & Delivery room.
- A fully operational laboratory and X- ray facility shall be available 12 hours a day.
- Qualified Staff Nurses and paramedical students shall be assigned for duty at clinic to render quality care to all patients and their relatives.
- Free immunization/ vaccination program will be launched in collaboration with the related department.
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