LAICO, January 24, 2008
Altruism may reside in everyone’s heart, but not everyone has the time to practice it. As young doctors in the medical profession, the post-graduate doctors are pressed for time. Though they may satisfy a patient by attending to his medical needs, they find it difficult to touch another life in any other way. It was this shortcoming in their curriculum that Chief of Education, Dr. Prajna proposed to overcome when he devised the Residents’ Social Responsibility (RSR) Programme. This started as an experiment to sensitise doctors to the plight of the less fortunate fellow brethren, and to provide a platform to try to help and heal these people in a way beyond mere medicine. The Programme has now evolved into a constant feature, running parallel to the academic schedule, as doctors are allowed to engage themselves in these activities during the working hours, thereby ensuring that they are not put under undue stress and encouraging their voluntary involvement.
First and second year post–graduate Residents headed by Dr. Kaneez (DNB resident), were encouraged to visit various non governmental organisations involved in charitable activities and to participate and contribute in any way they could. Ground work for each Programme undertaken by the residents was done over several visits, spread over several weeks. The RSR, thus, also hones a resident’s interpersonal skills, managerial and leadership qualities and sensitises him or her to the stark reality that needy people live in beyond the walls of our hospital.
Associated with:
The M.S. Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation: This organisation is managed by mental health professionals, and is committed to treatment and rehabilitation of those with mental disorders. The Thulir Science Centre: In association with the Tamil Nadu Science forum, this organisation arranges for science exhibitions benefitting the rural children.
Other organisations that residents are associated with:
The Gandhi museum, Madurai Charitable Trust, Rakshana School for autistic children, AHAP centre for the hearing impaired. They also had an opportunity to contribute to Aakash- urban school for special children, Akshaya trust -feeding the mentally ill destitute, Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women, Mental Health and Rehabilitation Centre.
They also engaged in educational activities in association with The Karaikudi Lions Club project and The Thulir project.
Akshaya’s Trust is run by Mr. Krishnan, committed to feeding abandoned, mentally ill people in the streets of Madurai. He provides them meals as they are unable to fend for themselves. The AHAP is a project that aims at rehabilitating the hearing impaired. The people who come here are assessed by an ENT specialist and undergo the necessary audiometric testing and rehabilitation. Rakshana is a school for autistic children, catering to the needs of these children with patience and understanding. Gnanadeepam is a school for the mentally ill children run by the MS Chellamuthu trust, in Alagarkovil. Here, the children have lessons and group activities for managing their disabilities speech, yoga and physiotherapy.
The Mental Health and Rehabilitation Centre, situated in the same campus as Gnanadeepam, caters to persons with mental disabilities on treatment for their problems. Our doctors conducted a free eye camp for the inmates of the Centre.
Gandhi Museum is dedicated to the Father of our Nation and our residents had a chance to visit the Museum and learn about Gandhiji’s principles and the force that drove him to accomplish so much.
Madurai Charitable Trust runs the Akash Age Care and Handicapped Home. The Residents visited the inmates of this home and spent time with them, reading stories with them and participating in many enjoyable games, bringing a lot of smiles. In association with the Thulir Science Centres and Karaikudi Lions Club, doctors conducted educational sessions benefitting the less privileged. They also provided spectacles free of cost for children with mental disabilities belonging to Aakash, a special school for urban children. The RSR conducted a handicraft exhibition in association with the Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women at LAICO earlier this month.