Family Adoption Program

 Family Adoption Program. 

This Program was followed in MGIMS, Sewagram It was the pet project of our beloved Director.. Behenji.... Dr Sushila Nayar Madam.

Our 1992 batch was assigned Suklibai village.

We were fortunate to be given this village as it had been initially adopted by a batch years ago.Hence,the village was oriented to MGIMS and it's Programs. Also the medical students who would be visiting them. 

We therefore,got full support of the village ,Suklibai. 

Some batches who were assigned a new village did have some difficulties as the village wasn't co operative. 

The first year ,we students had to stay in the village itself for 21 days.Later,we would visit once a month for rest of the MBBS duration. 

This village had a big Temple and a river flowing beside it.

We girls were put up in a dormitory. Boys elsewhere.

We had been given mattresses to sleep on the floor with common Washroom  

I have heard of some batches sleeping in makeshift sleeping arrangements in cowshed and makeshift Toilet pits covered by Leaves and Bushes.

Luckily Suklibai village was a big one.

Each student was assigned 4 families...total some 20 to 25 members.

We did Filaria detection camps at night as the region had lots of Filaria cases.

We dug Toilet pits for villagers...and helped in construction of Toilets 

We visited school and Screened kids for deficiency, refraction, and medical conditions. 

I had given a lecture on Dental health to small kids in the school....teaching them how to brush.

We did contribute to general health, mental health ,community service of the village Suklibai under guidance of Community Medicine and Preventive Social Medicine department of our college. 

We bonded well forever with our Incharge Dr Sadhana Bose of 1985 batch.

What did I benefit from this program????

I was an urban kid.The village was exciting and challenging. Adjusting to village life,grassroot and rural challenges, where you don't have any luxuries of urban development....Big toilets,continuos water in taps,concrete roads,all necessities in daily life available at arms reach ....Fans,ACs,....hotels, theatres....recreation center etc etc.....nothing was there.

But fresh air,no pollution, free flowing river,Fields,and simplicity of innocent villagers and rural surroundings. 

I remember conducting Refraction camp...but the poverty of our country hit me....when I saw they couldn't afford even a simple spectacle....and I would discard minefor a new fashionable one...in months.

The village family head would give 1 Re to a boy who would buy milk only for my Tea.....otherwise rest would drink black tea with jaggery.

Cow milk was luxury.....

As young girl of 18 / 19yrs....brought up in a very affluent and Educated family from Mumbai .....Suklibai village showed me other side of the world....where basic roof on head,food on plate,a Toilet inside home,Health and Hygiene.....which we all take for granted .....is a Luxury.

Girls getting married at 14/ 15 yrs....Dowry,....gender discrimination....appalled me.....

Doctors don't treat only disease....we need to treat a person. 

We need to understand the person.....his background, his struggles.....to actually treat him completely. 

Village Adoption Program makes you aware,oriented,understand People.....

Apart from Medical knowledge.....understanding diseases,communicable diseases....detection, treatment, awareness,education and prevention......every aspect of Medicine is understood by this Program. 

The USP of MGIMS, Sewagram is teaching Empathy and Humanity to its students. 

Doctors need these 2 qualities to be not only good practitioners providing better medical services.....but also responsible citizens of Our Country India.

How best can we provide for our country and our people....is what I learnt from MGIMS, Sewagram......

Community service is a pragmatic approach apart from Heath providing skills and acumen.

It must be taught to in curriculum of every health providers.....

Today Family Adoption Program is in Curriculum of MBBS in all institutions under NMC guidance. 

Also to other Professional courses.

Jai Hind!!!

Proud to be MGIMS ian.

Dr Tripti Milind Galgali 

Anaesthesiologist 

1992batch,MGIMS, Sewagram