By Dr Girish Kulkarni | Founder
Thank you so much for your support of our Caring Friends Hospital & Research Center, a vital lifeline to some of the most marginalised people in India. Last year we provided health care and treatments to 89 in-patients and 403 out-patients as well as our own beneficiaries from our 20 plus projects which totalled over 46,000.
Our 30 bed hospital is open to those living with HIV as well as our local communities and our mobile health until conducts a few outreach programs every week, reaching those in more remote areas of our district. We are currently working to extend our reach to more people in need of our vital services. To do this we are constantly reviewing and upgrading our provision.
Our cataracts surgeries are increasing with 50 operations performed last year, 50% of which were with HIV+ patients that others refuse to treat. We have also opened a Link ART Center. This comes under our district HIV hospital department but gives us the opportunity to offer counselling, examinations and prescriptions to registered patients. The greatest advantage of being able to offer this in our on-site hospital is that our shelter residents and beneficiaries from our other projects are able to access their regular check-ups and treatments in the comfort of our premises. This is especially important for school children who would otherwise miss a full day of school for an outside hospital appointment and workers who would lose wages. Also visiting Snehalaya is a little more discreet than reporting to the HIV Center in the busy government hospital.
However, the best thing about our hospital is that it has the facilities to accommodate the children who grow up in our shelter. It is also to those who have left our care after 18. Anil left our shelter home a few years ago and unfortunately his independence caused him to stop taking his ART regularly. He soon fell very ill and by the time he contacted us to ask for help he was already paralysed. He was given emergency care in a local hospital and once he was out of intensive care he was moved to our hospital.
Since he has been with us we have reviewed and followed his medication protocols, arranged physiotherapy and provided a special diet to build his strength. He is not out of the woods yet but he is getting stronger every day. He now has more movement and is able to meet with his ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ who check up on him every day. He has also shared his story with them and other care-leavers to ensure they keep taking their ART and not end up with a serious health condition like his.
As you can see, we provide more than a bed and medicine and your support ensures there is always a space for the Anils of this world. Thank you.
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