July - Sep 2016

The meteorological forecasts were optimistic - plenty of rains - unfortunately not a drop - the groundnuts have all withered, the jowar has gone - few straggly spike here and there. Makes one heart bleed
On the other side there was a sudden spurt in tomato prices - wow some families wiped out 10 years debt in one trip to the Tomato Market - suddenly there were new phones, new bikes visible on the country roads!!!!
Two sides of the same story
By end September all were wearing a glum look - withered crops, rapidly depleting ground water and soon the familiar sounds of a tractor pulling a trailer with water
Any way the RHC continued to be busy

Total of 6997 patients
Children below 15: Males 281 and Females 220
Elderly (above 65) Males 401 and females 385
Adults: 2657 Males and 3053 Females -
As is always the females tend to seek health more than males

Income levels less than 48000 pa 6683 and more than 48000 (APL) 314

Despair of Poverty - Cowering, hiding from the world and the wind

                                                                                                                                     This young boy swallowed a Re 1 coin - Bananas did the trick, The X Ray shows the coin in situ                                                                

Severe Osteo Arhritis - Helped with a knee brace

April - June 2016

Its been a hot summer, we had temperatures of more than 42 C for a month or so. In spite of exhortations, patients reported with heat exhaustion as well as heat hyperpyrexia. The elderly and the young were affected more than the able bodied
We also saw a few young males with Renal Stones - following the hot spell. Possibly dehydration due to farm work?
Patients continued in spite of the hot weather.
May provided a respite for all of us as it was a vacation time
Total Patients: 3522
<15 115="" 88="" p="">Children M: 115, F: 88
<15 115="" 88="" p="">Elderly M: 456,  F: 473
Adults M: 1172, F: 1218
<15 115="" 88="" p="">Income levels
<15 115="" 88="" p="">Below 48000: 3392
<15 115="" 88="" p="">Above 48000: 130

This little boy developed seizures, delayed milestones and also had an abnormally shaped head. He was diagnosed with Cranial Synostosis. Plastic surgery was done at St Johns Medical College. he is now recovering well and slowly improving

One of the most common afflictions of Diabetics - a diabetic foot. Poor hygiene, walking barefoot, poor diabetes control, smoking are all factors in causing this. Once affected the treatment is long affecting wage earning with its attendant problems of increasing poverty, depression etc. Apart from physical care most of these patients need psychological care to help them cope with this trauma.

Jan to March 2016

The financial year draws to a close. In spite of the heavy rains in October/November the heat has picked up. Working in the afternoons is quite difficult. Matakas of cool water are consumed to slake the thirst

Total Patients: 6323 

Below 15 years - Male: 280; Female: 258
Above 65 years - Male: 390; Female: 380
Adult: Male: 2546; Female: 2469

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 48000: 6167
Above 48001: 156

So we close the year with 21644 patients - first time that we have crossed 20000 patients in a fiscal,

April dawns!!!!

October - December 2015

Wow what a change - for the better - Splendid rains - rained continuously and we got a years rainfall in 2 weeks Approx 100 cm - gods be praised
Everyone has a big smile on their face and why not - the percolation tanks are full and overflowing, the streams running, borewells recharged - there is now drinking water in the bores as well as enough and more for agriculture. At least for the next year we should be comfortable
The big challenge is to get farmers to continue to conserve water and not waste it with indiscriminate flooding of the fields.

The Health centre also had a 2 week break over Deepavali. As usual it was terrific to put ones feet up and come back recharged

The number of patients took a dip because of the rains and increase in Agricultural activity

Total Patients: 4945 

Below 15 years - Male: 286; Female: 265
Above 65 years - Male: 213; Female: 208
Adult: Male: 2022; Female: 1951

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 3056
 12001 - 24000: 1422
 24001 - 36000: 249
36001 - 48000: 133
Above 48001: 85

July - September 2015

Decided to write up 3 monthly rather than monthly
The rains have played truant El Nino effect. Lots of dry weather bringing with it viral fevers, the flavour of the season being Dengue !!!
The Vascular Disease Project goes on and the data collection is in full swing. The response from the participants has been incredible.

As usual the data
Total Patients: 6769 

Below 15 years - Male: 365; Female: 382
Above 65 years - Male: 345; Female: 333
Adult: Male: 2610; Female: 2734

Income (₹) Distribution

Below 12000: 4096
 12001 - 24000: 2037
 24001 - 36000: 350
36001 - 48000: 171
Above 48001: 115