The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Chinnari Doctors’ show the way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Chinnari Doctors’ show the way

M.L. Melly Maitreyi

NGO gives first aid training to children
5 or 6 children from poor families are selected

HYDERABAD: They are just a bunch of school-going children aged between eight and 11. But they enjoy a special identity and appreciation of everyone in their villages for they double up as ‘messiahs’ in health emergencies.

Be it diarrhoea, snake-bite, a cut or a wound or accidents like drowning or burn cases, they are on call, either in their school or in the community.

They rush with their ‘first aid kits’ and help instantly. With timely intervention, they prevent a minor condition from turning grave.

Hailing from remote tribal villages in Nizamabad district where blind beliefs and risky native treatments by quacks thrive, these ‘Chinnari Doctors’ are changing mindsets.

If it is diarrhoea, they administer oral rehydration salts and also explain to family members how to prepare the sweet-salt solution. In case of snake-bite, they arrest the flow of poison-filled blood by applying a tourniquet and once the emergency is passé, speak of precautions to be taken later. For bruises and other flesh wounds, they deftly clean and dress them up, give prescribed ointments and medicines for minor ailments, before referring patients for secondary care.

The ‘Chinnari Doctors’ concept of Nizamabad-based NGO Samskar and funded by Plan International India, an agency working on child-centric community development, has become a success, according to V.H.S.S. Sundar, project director, Samskar, Plan International.

About 2,000 children in 76 villages of five revenue mandals of Bodhan were trained in first aid over the last eight years.

“At present we have 500 ‘Chinnari Doctors’ who work actively in improving health awareness and educate community on hygiene, safe drinking water and on environment pollution,” he said. A visible impact of the education has been the rise in percentage of TT vaccination among pregnant women and pulse polio coverage of children.

About five or six children from down-trodden families from each village are selected for first aid training. While it educates children on right medical and scientific concepts in their formative years, it also motivates the community. Sailaja Vincent of Plan International says the children serve about 10 - 15 households each, in their villages. They do not replace doctors but spread right information on health and hygiene, as ‘Agents of Change’ for betterment of their communities.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail