Gynaecology, Obstetric and Paediatric Camps January 2016

The first of our multi-disciplinary medical camps of 2016 took place at the Haven Centre on the 25th of January. Large crowds of patients had gathered from the early hours and the three visiting consultants lost no time in starting upon seeing so many expectant faces. The villagers had travelled for many miles due to the acute lack of healthcare throughout the region but few showed signs of tiredness. Instead, they appeared energised with mothers tirelessly holding their infants and women who seemed content to wait patiently for long hours. Perhaps the sense of hope they were feeling from this chance of being able to receive expert medical help and care, something they had never experienced before, was giving them the extra strength they needed.

Over the years, it has become clear to Haven that intervention and care are in more acute need within some of the medical disciplines compared to others. Most often this is due to a shocking lack of education and a deplorable absence of correct medical guidance and facilities at crucial stages of child development. Paediatrics, Gynaecology and Obstetrics are three branches of medicine most essentially required by the local rural communities surrounding the Haven Centre. During this, their third visit, the UK based husband and wife team of Dr Mita Sau, Consultant Gynaecologist, and Dr Ashis Sau, Consultant Obstetrician, provided expert medical care to hundreds of women in distress. Their sensitive manner helped put the patients at ease and their considerable knowledge and skill meant the women received the highest levels of treatement. Arriving with some trepidation, most of the patients left with smiles and a new found sense of relief and comfort.

Consultant Paediatrician, Professor Bimal Bhadhuri, has lost count as to how many times he has visited the Haven Centre! Professor Bhadhuri's long standing commitment and dedication to Haven's cause has been instrumental in providing Haven with the ability to continue to provide the rural communities with essential specialised medical care. During this visit, and with his renowned medical expertise, Professor Bhadhuri was able to help hundreds of desperately ill children and sensitively offer the parents expert guidance for future treatment and care of their children. In all, over 400 patients were seen and numbers are being put forward from each of the camps for further referral treatments. Haven would like to extend sincere thanks to all three consultants for their untiring professionalism and their considerate care of all the patients. We hope to welcome them back to the Haven Centre in the near future so that they can help many more people and provide the local communities with a real sense of hope.

Our biggest thanks to the MBCF staff and volunteers for their dedicated support allowing Haven to carry out this essential work on the ground in the depths of rural West Bengal.