The Medical Service

It was Sunday today. Most people are excited because it’s a holiday, but when you are studying in IBDP, Sundays can bring fun and excitement to you in many other ways. Today, as a CAS activity, we were to volunteer a regional organisation for their ‘Free Health Checkup Camp’.

Next Us was the name of the organising group; it was founded by some of the ex-students of the Bhosla Military School ( India’s most renowned military school chain). It is an organisation which works for the betterment of poor and underprivileged people by conducting health checkup and awareness camps in Maharashtra. Mr. Anup Golar, one of the members, told us that the organisation was their personal altruistic endeavor and that it was self-funded. When I asked how they managed their expenses, since they themselves funded it, he said that the little contributions all the members made were enough for them to help others. There was sparkling confidence on his face, while saying so. I was moved by this statement, the optimistic thoughts behind it were inspiring. The group had organized several medical camps hitherto, the most successful of all being the dental awareness camp. Apart from checkups and medical provisions they gave dental accessories to all the attendees, free of cost!

 During their blood donation camps, they even provided free blood to those who faced extreme poverty. Recently, they collaborated with Hedgewar and Aayush blood-banks. These blood banks have generously agreed to supply blood to Next Us at subsidized rates. Similarly, they have been receiving financial aid from different Maharashtra based philanthropists. I was very happy to hear that. The most interesting thing about this group was that they followed no administrative hierarchy. There was no president, secretary or subordinate; everybody had an equal position and each of them was equally responsible. I was deeply impressed by this notion. It would be great, I thought, if the entire world could learn from their rejection of rank based administration and embrace governance where everybody was equal. 

Mr. Anup then introduced me to my activity supervisor Dr. Trishil Kawaade who was a dentist. I was supposed to volunteer him, while my peers assisted other doctors. Dr. Trishil was a very kind and friendly person; he told me about my duties and gave detailed description about the medicines and equipment. After sometime the patients started coming, a vast majority of them being villagers. It was really difficult to handle them.  Their adamant fallacies were difficult to eradicate. I and Dr. Trishil explained them how brushing their teeth was more beneficial than just scrubbing them with their fingers. In India, there is something called ‘dant-manjan’ which is powered mixture of some regional herbs and is believed to clean the teeth better than brush-toothpaste. It is an outdated product in the modern times because the advent of tooth-brush and paste has elevated the standard of oral hygiene to a greater level.  But their tenacious mentalities were too inelastic to be altered! At one moment, one of the patients even asserted that whatever doctors say is all incorrect and that he has no faith in Dr. Trishil what so ever! It was a really shocking moment for both of us. The entire situation seemed to be paradoxical, if he were not believe the doctors why was he there, in a medical camp, in the first place!?  Dr. Trishil made detailed gum-teeth diagrams to make him understand that rubbing his teeth with his fingers wouldn’t remove the tiny food particles which get caught between the gum and the teeth. In addition we told him how these food residuals can permanently form tartar which may dangerously contribute to tooth decay. But unfortunately, it was an exercise in futility. That man was impossible to convince, and the task was immensely challenging.

Serving others, by lending their problems an ear and solving them, is what I learned from today’s activity. It has made me more aware about my surroundings – the people, their mentalities, their mode of comprehension, their beliefs and perhaps their destinies. In this camp, we were working as a team, although under discrete medical braches, but under one title and with a singular aim – to serve others. While cycling back home, I realised I had spent my entire day serving people and that my Sunday was now redefined. The day our efforts can bring sun those entrapped in darkness, is perhaps a day worth bring called a Sunday. In the past seventeen years of my life, it is today that came across – a Sunday.

This is the certificate our school received for volunteering.