Voluntary Nursing/Healthcare placement in South India

onewoman

Hi all -

I'm back after a break of a few years, back to IndiaMike and back to India in a few months......

So I am studying in London to be a nurse. I am in my first year, and would like to find some work for my 'summer' holiday which is actually between December and March. I have a total of around 8 weeks of my time to offer.

I have been to India three times before, travelled, volunteered stayed with families/friends and am comfortable with Indian culture and even have a loose grip on basic Hindi.

I am looking for a nursing/healthcare placement for around 3 months - preferably in South India, as I have never been South before, but am fairly flexible. Ideally I would love to do some sort of outreach healthcare in slums or rural communities, but any sort of role where I can get a bit of hands on experience would be great. I am also very interested in working in leprosy clinics, and with people with leprosy in general.

I have extensive experience in the UK of working with disadvantaged people and some healthcare experience also.

I have done various searches on here of previous posts but can't find really anything that answers my questions. I am wondering if anyone knows of any NGO's who take volunteers where I would be able to get some experience without enormous programme costs.

I can of course pay for my own board and lodgings.

Any information gratefully received....it's good to be back!

vx

machadinha

You could check (just for instance) with these guys, http://www.aidindia.org/main/. I've never worked with them, but have gotten close to in the past. They struck me as worth a go then, and being non-aligned and whatnot (although it's always hard to say until you're really there and actually have spent some time working with them, isn't it). (To others, they'll offer opportunities outside of India and notably in the States I think too.)

In Tamil Nadu which I think is or used to be one of their main focuses a grasp of Tamil may very well be required (and be aware that as so often with Indian contacts they may tell you at first this isn't an issue, then it may turn out to be), but, well, the longer time you can invest, the more use you may be to them, and I think they have programs elsewhere in India too.

Just make sure to double- and triple- (and then preferably quadruple-) check with any such gang what you may have to offer, and what may be required of you.

(And to others again, they'll require a time commitment as well I think.)

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machadinha

Have you considered Doctors Without Borders btw? I think they normally require a commitment of something like 6-9 months at least, but you could just speak to them and see where it gets you.

These guys get themselves into tough situations btw, it won't be for everyone. There's some participants' reports on their site to give you an idea.

Not sure if they operate in India either, that site should tell you more. Perhaps you might be interested in doing what you want to do somewhere else though. I've looked at MSF (DWB) myself, I honestly think I couldn't handle it though. And then I'm no medic, so I should find another role with them (which I hear would be possible btw. Of course they need to handle logistics and stuff as well. Or you might again assist them in their home offices, or whatever.)

nb Oh I see only now, with your three months and essentially brought back to eight weeks, I guess they may not be very interested. Well, just another of those tips; you could always have a chat with them, they may well have some suggestions for you, or otherwise manage to inspire you.

poipleshadow

We are always grateful for any help on the medical side, although the medical side won't take up all your time (especially if you're doing a good job). We often do basic treatments to the children which include cleaning and dressing small wounds (Cuts and Burns mostly), but this is vital as otherwise they easily become infected and then are more difficult to treat and get rid of.

We're based in Goa and most of our work is done at The Mango House or in the local slums, On the leprosy side we have helped one boy with Leprosy, but he has already completed the full course of medicine, he is now just receiving extra work to straighten his fingers, will be having an operation soon. One of the parents has also completed the course of medicine for Leprosy.

We have also helped with severe burn victims (well one), who had 75% of her body burnt (she's much better now)

Thanks

Rob

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Rob
Trying to make the world a better place is really hard...

machadinha

Heheh. Since I think Poiple is shy to advertize their website (and suits you well, Rob ), here's the link to their organization: http://www.childrenwalkingtall.com/

federica

Hi onewoman, I know a Tamil doc in Kodaikanal who's running a basic health service for poor people of the surrounding villages and a local hospital. His organisation is called "Pasam Trust". As far as I know they don't have a website, but you can get some info and contact details when googling. No idea whether he would take a volunteer, but getting in touch can never harm, I guess

As far as I know leprosy is not that common there, but tuberculosis is a wide spread problem.

machadinha

nb (and good tip, Federica )

For elsewhere in India, in the early 1990's there used to be a group of (mostly?) foreign doctors walking around Varanasi, notably in the old city and along the ghats there. They seemed to concentrate on treating lepers, among other things, no doubt. Most of them were French I think (possibly some Australians...?), and apparently very much staying there long-term.

No idea if this group exists still, or how to get in touch with them. I suppose (and assuming they do still exist -- maybe one of our Varanasi regulars will see this and can comment) if one has the necessary medical qualifications, and a reasonable amount of time to spare, one could just look them up there & have a word with them. Long shot, I realize. If they're still there, they're easily recognized for their white doctor's robes indeed; at the time, you could hardly miss them (I think one of their regular "rounds" along the ghats was near dusk, but it's too long ago for me to be sure, really. I did have some chats with them then, and they seemed like OK and together people to me, with no ostensible hidden agendas or anything. Again, always hard to say just like that though, isn't it.)

(Of course, Varanasi is very much a place where people, and poor people too, come to die or perhaps otherwise try their luck or looking for some mystical form of salvation, so there should be plenty of people in need of help there. Hence those lepers there, too.)

In Kolkata, friends of mine briefly worked with this outfit in its starting days, when it was still very grassroots, perhaps more so than it is now. They spoke very highly of them, also as a more independent pendant to the regular Mother Theresa's thing: http://www.calcuttarescue.org/ . At the time, they worked with Jack Preger himself, I think. Again, back then it was just a mobile street clinic (or a number of those) I think, it's probably developed quite a bit since, but always strikes me as quite possibly worthwhile still. (If that site turns out to be a little limited, try also for instance their British support site at http://www.calcuttarescue.org.uk/Cal...Fund/home.html. There exist other international support sites for them, just search the web for "Calcutta Rescue," and note there'll be non-related groups going by that name. The same applies to AID India, of course.)

Well, just trying to think along, see what you make of it

onewoman

Hi all-

thanks so much for the information thus far! I did check Poiple's other posts to find a link to his organisation, but thanks for that! Goa is a possibility - I have never been to Goa before and have always been slightly averse to it, although I know this is probably unreasonable!

I checked out AID India's site - they look really interesting and have great links so I am going to email them and see what comes of that.

I previously volunteered at Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charities in Kolkata - I didn't much enjoy the work (laundry) but I loved Kolkata so I will check out Calcutta Rescue - the name rings a bell now you mention it.

I spent around a month in Varanasi in 2006, and absolutely loved the place but think I will go elsewhere this time. I didn't see or hear of this troupe of doctors you are talking about but that doesn't mean they don't exist!

Wow, you can always rely on IMers!!! Thanks guys.
vx

onewoman

Calcutta Rescue - looks like they mainly take qualified volunteers and for a minimum of 9 months but I will email them anyway.

Here is a link to a document about Dr Mascharenhas of the Pasam Trust in Kodaikanal - there are some contact details at the end. I will also contact him directly. http://www.somepeoplepeople.com/inde...g_mascarenhas/

Thanks again!