The hospital
Halligudi healthcare center has been created in 1997 as no medical structure providing both allopathic and ayurvedic medicine existed within a 30 kilometers radius. Public transportation was scarce, while no running water nor power system was available to the inhabitants. Thanks to his acquaintances, the founder brought water and electricity to the village, so that it could become autonomous. Nowadays, living conditions in rural areas have improved. Yet, and although public transportation has been developed, remote villages still lack access to basic infrastructures.
The hospital remains a necessity because of the important amount of people living below the poverty line, therefore holding a BLP card.
More than 35.000 potential beneficiaries currently enjoy France Karnataka General Hospital Halligudi.
In 2015, 8.683 patients were attended, while they were only 7.698 in 2014, amounting to an increase of 12.8%. Many of them come from Halligudi (23%), while others come from about 15 surrounding villages, some with the help of the ambulance tour.
In April 2015, while the hospital celebrated its 20th birthday, the healthcare center treated its 200.000th patient, illustrating the benefits and integration of our actions within the communities.
Reported diseases mostly are:
- Infections of upper (pharyngitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, …) and lower (bronchitis, pneumonia, …) respiratory tracts for respectively 26.8% and 8.2% of the patients.
- Rhumatism (10,6%) due to the fact that we operate in a farming area.
- Skin diseases (9,6%), mostly due to a lack of body hygiene
- Minor injuries (7,8%) mostly due to farming
- Bowel, dysentery, acute diarrhea problems, arterial hypertension, anemia, etc. are also common diseases.
The main building is made of:
- Three rooms for consultations
- A fully-furnished healthcare and plaster room
- A drugstore
- An analysis laboratory
- Bedrooms for patients
- The administrative manager’s office
- A reception desk
- A staff room
- A kitchen
- A dining room
- Washrooms
On the first floor, two bedrooms, each with three beds, are available for volunteers and administrative directors
The management of the hospital is ensured by a team composed of:
- Two full-time doctors
- A nurse
- A medical assistant
- An ambulance driver
- Specialized doctors who frequently come to the hospital for specialist camps
The hospital administration is ensured by:
- A French site manager
- A local employee responsible for administrative medical management
- The room staff
- A guardian
- The canteen staff
Doctor Gojnur
Working at the hospital since the end of 2012, Dr. Gojnur is our allopathic doctor. As a member of Gadag Indian Medical Association (IMA), he greatly contributes to the maintenance of specialist camps, which could not take place without his constant involvment and large network. His experience and expertise are essential to the hospital.
« I love working for F.I.K. They are very polite and committed to improve the living conditions of Halligudi’s disadvantaged population. »
Doctor Patil
Working at the hospital since 2010, Dr. Patil is our ayurvedic doctor. He organizes ayurvedic immuzation days on a monthly basis for children aged from 1 month to 16 year old. While he has received a training in allopathic medicine at the hospital, he is in charge of most consultations.
« France India Karnataka General Hospital is a very good charity hospital. I am very pleased to be working here because we provide healthcare to many people who could otherwise not access it. I am proud to be able to contribute to that goal. »
Mahalaxmi
Mahalaxmi is a certified nurse. Since she arrived on March 1rst, 2014, she has been working on a wide range of healthcare issues. Administering injections, applying all kinds of bandages and creams, and distributing medication according to doctors’ recommendations are all part of her daily tasks. Very close to the patients and always smiling, Mahalaxmi is a great source of dynamism at the hospital.
« Compared to urban medical centers, Halligudi hospital is a very good one. It provides quality services to patients and I am very happy to be able to contribute to that. »
Akilla
Akilla has been our receptionist since 2013. She is in charge of receiving and registering patients, as well as drafting their medical records. She also takes care of major data collection (pathologies treated, patients’ age, sex and origin), which helps us establish valuable statistics about the environment in which we conduct our projects.
« I am really pleased to work in this structure. It is a very good hospital. I love my work, which enables me to receive and exchange with patients coming from remote villages. »
Shoba
Shoba joined France Inde Karnataka’s team in April 2014. Her talents as a cook are a delight for volunteers. They can always count on her for a good Indian meal, which provides them with the energy necessary to carry out their missions! Shoba also takes care of the maintenance and cleaning of the structure in order to keep it clean, healthy and welcoming. She is a key element in the good management of the hospital.
« It is a very good hospital, and I am happy to work here. Even if my work is not properly medical, I am involved in my own way in serving our patients. »
Apanna
Apanna is the hospital’s guardian. Taking over the position after his father in January 2011, he is responsible for closing the rooms, ensuring that our tanks are always filled with water and looking after the hospital at nights and on weekends. Since September 2015, he has taken over Jaggadesh’ position as our ambulance driver to remote villages. His commitment and availability are hightly valued at the hospital.
« I am very pleased to be working here. I love my job. I am proud to have taken over the position after my father and to take part in the maintenance of this hospital. »
An ambulance to break isolation
Thanks to the foundation SERVIR and the association HELPING HANDS’ support, France Inde Karnataka bought a new ambulance in early 2014, adapted to the difficult transportation conditions of the region. Every month, an ambulance tour enables us to break remote villages’ isolation, and to carry patients in life-threatening situations to urban hospital with emergency services.
In 2015, the ambulance carried 701 patients.
Providing access to specialized medicine
Although India has expanded very quickly over the last years, some regions are still very poor and disadvantaged inhabitants don’t have access to many services. Because of a lack of medical care, many people never consult specialized doctors. In order to answer such needs, the association France Inde Karnataka frequently organizes pediatric, gynecologic, dental, ophtalmology, orthopedic and dermatology camps. Awareness campaigns focusing on cervical cancer, smoking consequences, etc. also take place. Diabetes and heart diseases screenings are also provided thanks to the recent acquisition of an electrocardiograph.
In August, 2016, a pediatric camp was organized by the president of the association and by Dr. Gojnur, and thank to the generous Dr. Nimbannavar. 200 children were ausculted and treated.
Monthly ayurvedic camps : children’s immunization
Ayurvedic medicine is part of Indian tradition and considered as the oldest holistic medicine in the world.
Its practice involves taking care of the patient himself rather than focusing on the illness only. Based on dietetic, phytotherapy, ayurvedic massage, meditation and breathing, this treatment helps restore and maintain the balance between our body and our mind.
Many western doctors acknowledge the positive results of this traditional form of medicine when it comes to curing many diseases.
F.I.K. aims at offering coherent projects which respect Indian culture by having an ayurvedic doctor at the hospital. Over the years, we witnessed that ayurvedic medicine could, in some cases, provide effective care to patients when western medicine could not.
Ayurvedic immunization days for children are offered on a regular basis. In 2015, more than 1.714 children were immunized.
The continuous improvement of our services
India has evolved to a great extent over the last years, especially in the medical field, and patients’ expectations have become higher as well. In order to answer this evolution and to improve our medical analysis, the association has restored the laboratory in 2014. The second stage is part of this coming year’s objectives: purchasing medical equipment to conduct quality analysis. This would include a cell counter, a blood and an urine analyzer.
So as to avoid water shortages during dry season, the hospital doubled its water supply. Connection works were carried out during the first half of the year 2015. We now have a capacity of 30.000 liters of storage, which allows us to hold up to a 4 to 6 weeks period of water shortage.
Other construction works have also taken place:
- Waterproofing the building, which has become too porous
- Replacing and repairing the entire power system
- Purchasing and installing 9 electrical batteries in order to be autonomous
- Purchasing a new ambulance
- Installing filters to provide drinking water
