SRI RAMAKRISHNA SEVASHRAMA Key Issues and
Operational Areas, Major Activiities & Achivements
Operational Districts: Tumkur
Operational States: KARNATAKA
AchieveMents: Achievements
Pavagada Taluk remained a Leprosy-endemic area till the 1990, despite the Governmentââ¬â¢s efforts. Due to the regionââ¬â¢s remoteness and inhospitable socio-political environment, the health department could not even post any dedicated workers. It was a bleak situation.
In 1991 Swami Japanandaji who had founded Sri Ramakrishna Sevashrama Sister concerns Swami Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health Centre from scratch, took up the challenge and took over the project from government under NLEP. After the incessant struggle of a dedicated team for 25 years, Pavagada has now been declared as non-endemic for Leprosy. The feat has received wide acclaim.
All through these years, Team Vivekananda lead by Swami Japanandaji has simultaneously battled another dreaded disease, Tuberculosis. So far 12000 cases of Tuberculosis have been handled comprehensively, providing drug treatment, food, as also rehabilitation free of cost to the needy poor, resulting in an exceptional success rate.
Recognizing the institute most qualitative and documented work, Central Government enrolled SVIRHC as an RNTCP Unit ââ¬â the only NGO-hosted unit in Karnataka. Now, the latest GeneXpert facility makes this an exclusive private organisation handling it in the entire country.
Many research oriented projects have also been taken up by SVIRHC with NTI several research papers published in international journals.
The malaise of HIV and AIDS in this backward region is being tackled systematically by a dedicated unit at SVIRHC, as a part of its humanitarian mission.
Gradually extending the ophthalmic facilities, a state-of-the-art Eye hospital has been set up for the sake of the poorest sections of about 8 lakh population. It has to its credit, about 20000 successful eye surgeries of all categories, including cataract.
Many ophthalmic research studies of relevance to the target population have been taken up; they have received wide attention, and been published in international journals.
With his concerned love for children, Japanandaji has developed a paediatric eye care wing, which has served and saved hundreds of children, who could otherwise never afford or avail of such high cost facilities.
One of the innovative initiatives of Swamiji towards the total elimination of TB and creation of a healthy community is the Food for Patients Project. Many of the TB patients, even after declared cured following a lengthy treatment regime, cannot afford a healthy diet due to their disabilities. To overcome this problem, hundreds of such patients are being provided free food grains.
SVIRHC, located in a remote corner of the state, takes pride in being the only facility in Karnataka to be offering the highly specialized and vital Reconstructive Surgery (RCS) for Leprosy cured patients. It is no small achievement that so far 476 complex RCS have been done, that too free of charges (costs up to Rs.60,000), thanks to a very humane stand taken by Swamiji.
Elaborate post-treatment care and livelihood support have enabled early 50 cured leprosy patients so far to own/take up petty shops, tailoring, house renovation, cattle rearing etc, and lead normal lives.
