July 2014

The rains have kept away for the last 06 weeks. The fields lie fallow, no one has planted. Even the few hardy ones who planted millets just sit by and watch the empty fields. A few families have migrated out to the cities looking for jobs and some sort of income. Its a vicious cause and effect. No rains, no planting, no casual work, no income, diminished food production, increase in prices, drinking water scarcity and so on and so forth. How much can one dig for water. Borewells are at around 300 metres in our area, and these are drying up too. All hopes are on some sort of monsoon revival in the coming two months.
However the number of patients continues to be as usual

Total Patients: 2170

Below 15 years - Male: 125; Female: 115
Above 65 years - Male: 107; Female: 106
Adult: Male: 834; Female: 883

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1297
 12001 - 24000: 689
 24001 - 36000: 90
36001 - 48000: 58
Above 48001: 36

June 2014

June has come and gone. Reopening after a month's break, makes it that much harder to get back to work. One decent rain in the month with 78 mm coming down in a few hours. But after that it has remained dry. Few clouds but nothing more. Patients are also slowly coming back, some sowing but others ploughing and awaiting the elusive monsoon.

Total Patients: 1595

Below 15 years - Male: 91; Female: 79
Above 65 years - Male: 86; Female: 85
Adult: Male: 612; Female: 642

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1039
 12001 - 24000: 451
 24001 - 36000: 52
36001 - 48000: 28
Above 48001: 25

April 2014

Another man made year ending! This time though it feels good with a much needed vacation starting. April was still quite busy though we had started covering our long term patients till June.
The two important festivals in our valley the Gangamma Jatra and Thettu Thirunal have come and gone. Traditionally it is supposed to rain during these periods. However not a drop of rain.Maybe the gods themselves are angry at us human beings for the devastation we have caused? If El Nino acts up and the Indian Ocean Dipole shifts its going to be a bad monsoon. Where do we go for water is the big question?

Total Patients: 1992

Below 15 years - Male: 109; Female: 114
Above 65 years - Male: 125; Female: 120
Adult: Male: 713; Female: 781

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1196
 12001 - 24000: 609
 24001 - 36000: 78
36001 - 48000: 47
Above 48001: 32

Dr Bhavya, ISC 2006, worked with us at the RHC for one month. It was a mutually enriching experience for all of us. Photos at the bottom of the blog

These two pretty girls were born after a successful tubal recanalisation

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Dr Bhavya, Dr Kamakshi, Dr Kartik, Dr Ramesh

March 2014

These man made year endings are quite crazy. Technically this month sees the closing of accounts and a fresh start on 01 April. Does this make any difference to the ebb and flow of life around us?

Total Patients: 2039

Below 15 years - Male: 104; Female: 111
Above 65 years - Male: 78; Female: 86
Adult: Male: 751; Female: 909

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1185
 12001 - 24000: 733
 24001 - 36000: 74
36001 - 48000: 30
Above 48001: 18

Vasantha - quietly proud with her 2nd baby. The elder daughter had a sever Congenital Heart Disease. Was operated under Arogyashri but did not survive due to post op complications. The 2nd pregnancy went to term, anomaly scans during pregnancy revealed no congenital anomalies, had a FTND and post natal checks also revealed no abnormality. The mothers smile says its all

A baby with a megacolon - recovered with conservative management

February 2014

It has started warming up, the sun is somewhat fierce, nights still pleasant. Drying up pretty fast

Total Patients: 1790

Below 15 years - Male: 93; Female: 90
Above 65 years - Male: 79; Female: 86
Adult: Male: 704; Female: 738

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1088
12001 - 24000: 609
24001 - 36000: 48
36001 - 48000: 29
Above 48001: 16

A typical elderly woman seeking health care - Malnutrition predominates

Years of Bidis and Exposure to the sun - A Basal Cell Carcinoma

January 2014

The cold seems to have abated but it is also very fluctuant. Some days it is down to 10 celsius and other days a balmy 14 celsius
No rains at all and the plans have already started drying. This normally happens in the 2nd week of February - earlier by 2 weeks

Total Patients: 1767

Below 15 years - Male: 78; Female: 70
Above 65 years - Male: 72; Female: 84
Adult: Male: 680; Female: 783

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1135
12001 - 24000: 516
24001 - 36000: 69
36001 - 48000: 31
Above 48001: 16

December 2013

The cold has started and its now common for a woolen cap to be worn in the early hours. As one grows older the cold sort of seems to get worse!!!!
Of course no rains - the north east monsoon has been a total let down.

Total Patients: 1954

Below 15 years - Male: 89; Female: 130
Above 65 years - Male: 80; Female: 73
Adult: Male: 790; Female: 792

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 1169
12001 - 24000: 654
24001 - 36000: 68
36001 - 48000: 36
Above 48001: 28

November 2013

Sorry one and all the posts have sort of got delayed
Back after a much needed 2 week vacation, in time to reopen the RHC and get ready for the The Annual Gathering of the Krishnamurti Foundation India. The gathering itself  went off very well and there was much discussion around the theme of "Living the Teachings in a Secular World". For those interested a summary of the proceedings can be accessed at  http://www.rishivalley.org/features/features.htm
 
About 75 participants visited the RHC and were very happy to see the work which was happening here.
 
The RHC continues to be busy as the numbers show

Total Patients: 1232

Below 15 years - Male: 74; Female: 63
Above 65 years - Male: 44; Female: 49
Adult: Male: 502; Female: 500

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 741
12001 - 24000: 416
24001 - 36000: 31
36001 - 48000: 20
Above 48001: 24