Our patient follow ups!

The MINDS staff visited patients in four villages ( Khandia, Malu, Hareshwar, & Bhadarpur) to check in on their overall health and invite them to the patient camp at Gotri Hospital. The purpose of this “patient campaign” was to follow up with these individuals and their families to assess the status of their condition/illness and general livelihood (Staff travelled an average total distance of 165 km). The staff counselled some patients on the importance of working for a wage. It is helpful for individuals suffering from conditions such as epilepsy to gain skills and engage in some sort of work (such as sewing & alterations, assisting a shopkeeper in a store, etc) to ensure their financial independence and health in the future once their caretaker has passed away. Several patients came to the Gotri Hospital for their follow-up medical visit with the physician and to receive medication. Every patient did not come to the patient camp, those who did not come were contacted by a MINDS staff member and delivered a restock of their medication at their home. The rural population faces significant barriers to access medical services. Psychiatric and neurological illnesses require specialized care. There is a dearth of trained health care professionals practicing in rural areas, especially in the field of mental health. Villagers live on average 75-80 km (one way) from the nearest government hospital and must utilize various methods for travel, including walking a significant distance in the summer heat [ temperatures in May- June 2016 have regularly reached around 110 F -113 F (40-45 C)]. Often a patient and their family must take off work and lose a full day’s wage to travel to the hospital. Many cannot afford this luxury and as a result, their health suffers. Regular contact between MINDS staff and patients helps mediate issues such as a lack of medication and allows patients and their families to voice concerns.