Community Health Clinical

Today was our rural community health clinical rotation (and last clinical rotation of the trip). We visited a rural community called Arasur, about 10 km east of Coimbatore. Arasur consists of 10 villages totaling approximately 50,000 people. There are 4 schools of which it is mandatory for children to attend. The government funds the schooling and also provides free lunch for all students. This community is unique in that it was created to abolish the caste system that is common in much of India. The government of Tamil Nadu is working with local elected officials from each village so that all the people within the village will live together as equals. The community has even formed 9 "self-help" groups for women who are stay at home moms. The government funds $35,000 INR and the women fund some money themselves so that they can open their own small businesses and sell their handiworks. They have to repay a certain amount weekly to the government, and the rest of the money they earn is taken to the village counselors, government officials, and elected officials to be redistributed to help the community prosper. The government has set up the village so that the farmers (which is the occupation of most males in the community) do not have to pay for their electricity. The government also has provided jobs in maintenance and environmental promotion (specifically rain water harvesting) which pays about $100 INR/day for a minimum of 100 days per year. The government also provides health care funds of up to $100,000 INR per member of the community if they do not purchase local medical insurance. There is also a system of food stamps called "ration cards" for the villagers to obtain groceries at no cost.

I found today's experience so interesting! I suppose I just assumed the caste system of hierarchy was well accepted in India when in fact their government is taking huge steps toward human equality. After visiting the village we went to their Public Health center (govt funded, unlike PSG). They had a pediatric ward, labor ward, herbal medicine ward, and regular checkup center. Its surprises me how I am getting so used to these places. Their immunizations for the children were kept in coolers and labeled and left in the waiting area. When they take blood work, the phlebotomist is also the lab tech and he performs all the work right in front of the patient while they wait. If I thought I wouldn't want to have my baby in the private PSG hospital, I definitely don't want to go to the government funded public health center. There are two rooms separated by a thin wall: the laboring room and the postnatal room. There was a woman in the laboring room and I am embarrassed to say that I just cannot imagine what it must be like to have your baby in the middle of nowhere RIGHT next to someone else having their baby, not to mention no possibilities for epidural or emergency C-section. But I suppose when that is all you've known then it doesn't bother you. When it is in your culture to suffer the pain of childbirth, that's probably just what you do.

Tonight we might be visiting the faculty houses for dinner and tomorrow we have the day off! All planned activities are cancelled for the annual Tamil Nadu Conference! There's a big parade on the main highway in Coimbatore at 4 pm. Hopefully we'll get to sleep in...after dance class that is :)