Sensitization program for IDF on Tuberculosis

It is for a Day on 15^th June 2016, as a team from REACH, we conducted a program for the staff working in Indian Development Foundation located at Mogappair. About 20 members working with Leprosy programs were assembled from different parts of Tamil Nadu for the program.

We went ahead with the planned workshop schedule and provided inputs on Barriers in the Cough to Cure pathway, Basics of Tuberculosis, Patient Charter- Rights and Responsibilities, and Recent Advances in TB.

It was a good experience for all of us from different Initiatives of REACH, coming together for conducting the program.

-Shared by Ms. Sheela , Ms. Nalini, Mr. James and Dr.GuruKarthik from various Initiatives of REACH

PHARMACISTS OBSERVED WORLD TB DAY 2016 IN THEIR JOURNEY OF TB CONTROL

Mr. Balasubramanian, proprietor of Bala Pharmacy, Royapuram addressing the community meeting

“At the beginning, I thought REACH is getting benefitted reaching more people through me. But when the days roll out, I recognized the improvement in myself and also in my business. I have undergone several trainings by REACH which helped me to approach my customers not in a business mode but with care. When I became the spoke person of TB, I got the satisfaction of saving life of my customers and their families. Obviously, it develops the personal bondage with my customers who TRUST me completely. It is not REACH or its programs but I and my customers are benefitted.”

— Mr. Balasubramanian, proprietor of Bala Pharmacy, Royapuram.

Mr. Indrasithu, proprietor of Divya Pharmacy, Pulianthope issuing pamphlet to the customer

“Though being in the Pharmacy industry for a longer time, I considered TB as also the one of the health problems as same as fever till I was approached by REACH. When I became a TB patient, I fully understood the dynamics of TB and its social complexities the patient faces. Since then I stopped selling TB medicines at my pharmacy and advocates the symptomatic customers to approach DOTS through REACH, also supports them throughout the treatment.”

— Mr. Indrasithu, proprietor of Divya Pharmacy, Pulianthope.

These are not mere words but the journey of the pharmacists in TB Control along with REACH. The pharmacists conducted the community meetings on 24^th March 2016 in order to observe World TB Day. They shared their experience to the community people which in turn motivate them to approach for any TB related assistance.

About hundred people participated in the three such community meetings organized by Pharmacists on this World TB Day in Royapuram by Bala pharmacy, in Pulianthope by Divya Pharmacy and in Ayanavaram by Ramesh Pharmacy. The community meeting ended up with the distribution of pamphlets with the information about TB.

The Community Engagement in TB control was also initiated at 14 pharmacies in different localities throughout Chennai. The customers of the pharmacies are encouraged to engage themselves in one of the ways of TB control mentioned in the Poster such as creating awareness in neighbourhood and workplace; referring the symptomatic person for the treatment; be a DOTS provider etc. The motivated customer can sign under any of the categories they wanted to be the part of TB control.

The pharmacies at Tandiarpet and Pulianthope of Chennai, Tharanallur of Trichy distributed pamphlets with the information about TB to the general public. REACH, at the significance of World TB Day, gifted all its active pharmacy stakeholders with the key chains having information about the initiative.

The customer signing her engagement in TB control at pharmacy

The Big Push Campaign 2/3: No Stigma for TB

This is the second part of the Big Push Campaign Posts. Extend your  support and solidarity with all those fighting to reduce TB, AIDS and Malaria, to create a better world.

The Big Push Campaign: TB treatment for All

We at REACH have participated in the Big Push Campaign to express our support and solidarity with all those fighting to reduce TB, AIDS and Malaria, to create a better world.  You are viewing the first part of our 3 part blog on the same.

You too can participate and voice your support. Join the Big Push Campaign here:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/22/the-big-push_n_1884997.html?1348495543&utm_hp_ref=impact

Spotting a Volunteer

Seen in the picture is Manikandan with his DOTS cap

As I rattled the TB facts to my audience during a TB awareness program at Koku Maedu village in Minjuir block, Thiruvalur District, I noticed a head nodding in constant agreement with all that I said. I also noticed the word DOTS in bold spelt on his cap. Unable to confine my curiosity I asked him where he got the cap from. Manikandan explained that he had attended a TB rally two years back. “Ever since this cap has been in my safe keeping. I have also seen how nurses administer the DOTS tablets in my village. If given a chance, I would like to be a DOTS provider to patients with TB” said an enthusiastic Manikandan.

“I now have another addition to my list of community support volunteers on whom I can lean back for support” Dinakar Sai

REACH Blog Team       

 

Kids speak: “I will stop TB by…”

After an awareness program with school children ranging from classes 9-12, we gave them pieces of paper and asked them to complete the phrase “I will stop TB by……..”. We loved their responses.

Here are some of them:

I will stop TB by……

1. Spreading awareness and supporting anyone that has it
2. Making a movie
3. Convincing friends and family to maintain a strong immune system
4. Murdering Mr Bacteria
5. Becoming a DOTS provider
6. Visiting places where there is less awareness and tell them about the disease and that we can help
7. Making short films
8. Motivating people to overcome the disease
9. Telling people about REACH
10. Identifying the symptoms
11. Have a concert to create awareness
12. Writing articles to spread mass awareness
13. Having outreach programs
14. Helping people
15. Visit some villages to treat people who are affected with TB
16. Encouraging people not to be ashamed of it
17. Spreading awareness about TB and AIDS
18. Putting ads on TV
19. Advertising about TB in my restaurants
20. Educating young minds
21. Volunteering!
22. Telling people to not drink and smoke
23. Making sure every individual is fed and has good nutrition
24. Eating right
25. Spreading the word on TB. world peace and unity!

Anne and Neha

REACH Team

Entering Living Rooms

Realizing the influence and impact of the small screen on every household,  STOP TB Forums formed through the Project Axshya in Madurai District networked with a leading channel in Madurai, Lion Channel to  take the TB message to the threshold of every house.

The Stop TB Forum acquired permission to broadcast TB awareness videos created by REACH every two hours in between programs.  This is a classic example of involving the different stake holders of society in TB control.

Project Axshaya appreciates this act of social responsibility exhibited by Lion Channel and hope to take the TB message to more homes with the support of more such TV channels.

REACH Blog Team

From Belgium with Love

 

Elona

 

Inspired by a book she read on Mother Theresa as a teenager Elona dreamt of coming to India ever since. She longed to do something on the lines of what Mother Theresa had done. Her passion brought her to the country three years back. She worked for two months through an NGO  with the homeless people on the ghats of the river Ganga  at Varanasi in North India. Elona is back again from the land of chocolates to India, this time in the south, in Tamil Nadu, at Chennai . She is now married and has come with her  husband,  an engineer, who has been sent to India on a project for a three year period.

Elona is deeply grateful  to her husband who has kindly permitted her to work  with the slum dwellers of S. M. Nagar. Wanting to pursue her dream again, Elona approached Philip, the Project Manager of Speed Trust, an NGO which works for the wellbeing and development of the people of S.M. Nagar. Understanding her desire to help, Philip gave Elona an opportunity to extend a touch of love and comapssion to the slum dwellers.

A qualified nurse by profession, Elona treats the people who come to Speed Trust with minor ailments. She uses her expertise to help patients with wounds by dressing them up. When the person needs more medical attention, she accompanies them to Kalyani hospital and is instrumental in getting them the required medical help.

Couple of months back, when REACH organised a TB awareness program at S. M. Ngar, two patients with Tuberculosis were identified, Elona took up the responsibility of being their DOTS provider. She houses the drug box at the Speed Trust  office where the patients come and swallow their tablets in her presence. She also gives one of the patients his injections, for whom it is part of the treatment.

“Being in India for me is an opportunity to learn a new culture and meet new people. What I am doing is very minimal in a land where a lot more has to be done. If every one can spare a little time out, a lot can be changed” Elona.

“When the patient fails to come for his days dose, Elona immediately takes his tablets and injection and walks throuth the streets of S. M. Nagar to reach the patients house not paying heed to the extremely filthy and nauseating condition around her. She does all this on an honorary basis. I am really taken aback by this young lady’s deep rooted  compassion to help people in need” Chitra

M. Chitra

REACH Blog Team

She Sings to Stop TB

“May the Lord be with you in all your journeys to the villages as you work towards spreading the TB message to build healthier communities” said Theresa as she blessed us when we left Anupampet village.  At 65, Theresa has a remarkably ethereal and capturing voice, which she has come forward to lend us.

The NREGA program which is a government scheme to ensure employment for people in rural areas is being implemented in 55 villages through out the Minjuir district in North Madras. We at REACH have come up with a plan to carry out TB sensitization programs at all these workplaces. We have completed 7 such programs, during one of which we got to meet Theresa who spontaneously came up to us and sang a few songs to demonstrate her singing skills. She since then has joined us during programs and helps draw crowds for a program by singing TB songs before we start the actual program

Extremely enthusiastic and positive about the changes we can create in terms of better health for these people, Theresa serves as a great source of inspiration for us.

Sai Dinakar

REACH Blog Team

Connecting for Common Good

Montfort Community Development Society (MCDS) is an Integrated
Community Development Program reaching out to thousands of families in urban
slums, coastal slums and in Tamilnadu Slum Clearance Tenements in Chennai, Kannaginagar and Chemmencherry.

MCDS runs with the main objective of empowering women, promoting better health conditions and child rights in these communities. MCDS follows an Integrated Community Development approach.

As part of its initiative on health MCDS approached REACH for monthly awareness programs on TB for their women Self-help-group members

They chalked out a well planned annual schedule for programs to be held every month at different areas where they work.

The following are the details of the program:

Date                    Time                       Area
17/04/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Kakkan Colony
15/05/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Thousand lights
19/06/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Kannagi nagar
17/07/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Srinivasapuram
21/08/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Ice House
18/09/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Anna Colony
16/10/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Ranganathapuram
20/11/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Vadapalani
18/12/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Kuilthotam

This is a perfect example of excellent outcomes resulting from NGO’s networking with each other. NGO’s in this instance are supporting each other for the common good of community without any monetary stratagem behind the scenes.

The REACH resource person Ms. Mangayarkarasi sensitizing the Self Help Group members on TB

People interested in attending the programs can contact Ms. Nazareth at 9840395943 from MCDS or Ms. Sheela Augustine at 9841591361 from REACH.

We at REACH honor the efforts of MCDS and look forward to working with many more such NGO’s.

REACH Blog Team