India
Update from the Field
October 25, 2006
Dr. Fabian Toegel and Maximillian Norz
The diocese of Indore founded the Jeevan Jyoti Health Service Society in 1989 in response to the poor health situation in the District of Jhabua, especially to help the poor and marginal tribal community.
The society is running a 100 bedded General Hospital at Meghnagar, known as the Jeevan Jyoti Hospital, which provides curative services to the poor tribal people of the area. It is the only private hospital in the district having good infrastructures and facilities. But due to the lack of modern equipment we are often unable to provide good service and have to refer cases to the richer neighbouring state Gujarat. In order to serve the needs of the sick people in a better way, we ask for the provision of modern equipment.
The present population of the District of Jhabua is 1.394.345 (2001 Census). 86 % of the residents are tribal (Bhils). The main activity and source of income for the people is agriculture. 9 out of 10 people are either cultivators or agricultural labourers. Seasonal and even permanent migration of unorganized labour from one place to another to earn livelihood is a regular phenomenon, because the agriculture yield is often not enough to survive. More than 70 % of the households live below poverty line.
| No. | Equipment | Department | Purpose | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C Arm Image Intensifier (TV System) | Orthopaedics | It's used in the operation theatre during the orthopaedic operation. With this machine the inner part of the bone and foreign bodies can be seen clearly. With the old system we had to take several X-Rays. Therefore the new machine will reduce the costs of surgeries. | 700.000 |
| 2 | Semi Automated Biochemistry Analyser | Laboratory | At present we do manual tests, which take one hour. With this machine the tests will be done very fast and we can save money and time. | 192.500 |
| 3 | ECG | ICU | We require on ECG machine for monitoring the ICU patients in case of emergency. | 59.000 |
| 4 | Cardiac Monitor | Cardiac/ICU | We have to refer cardiac patients to the neighbouring state Gujarat due to the lack of a cardiac monitor. With this machine we will be able to treat heart patients in our hospital. | 32.000 |
| 5 | Auto Reflectomitre | Ophthalmic Department | Refractive error is a major cause of blindness in this area, especially for children because of a Vitamin A deficiency. This machine will help us to examine more children and people in the community in less time and with more accuracy. The manual examination which we have been doing up to now is very time consuming. | 275.000 |
| 6 | Baby Warmer (Incubator) | Paediatrics | In this are there is a lot of premature birth and the child mortality rate is high due to anaemia among pregnant women. This machine can be helpful for the premature newborn and weak babies. | 35.000 |
| 7 | Phaco Emulsifier | Ophthalmic Department | With this machine very small incisions can be done for cataract surgery and the wounds will heal faster. As we have an ophthalmic surgeon, this machine can be helpful for better services to the cataract patients. | 475.000 |
| 8 | Ophthalmic Chair Unit with Surgeons Stool, Visum Drum | Ophthalmic Department | With this examination chair we can make patients of the ophthalmic department sit in a comfortable position with all the equipment kept around them. So eye examinations can be done without sending the patient from one place to the other. | 65.000 |
The Bhil population depends on agriculture. Because of the infertile land they are forced to migrate after the rainy season. As migrant workers in cities they are at risk of exploitation and acquiring HIV.