The intellectual rationale for inhuman medical practices
Doctors have long since moved from the realms of godliness and humaneness to a cut-throat competitiveness for power, money and position. To be ill in current times when one is poor amounts to nothing more than gross stupidity. Only a very, very stupid poor person...
A powerful experience!!!
IPH’s urban health team has begun the training of community health workers. This is a three month training. Classroom sessions will be three days a week alternated with field exercises. The objective of the training is to prepare community members to become community...
Our first footsteps – Multilingual Training in KG Halli!!
12th July felt like an important morning, as we wended our way to the IPH community centre in Tannery road, inaugurating the training for the seven new health worker-trainees from the locality. Last week the meetings had finalized the participants, so when only four...
Self-motivation a demotivator?
Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow, And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go……. What if one day the lamb decided not to follow Mary? Would it be a crime? A major part of most individual’s lives is spent on FOLLOWING orders, ADHERING to...
Of death and dying – Reflections on visiting our colleague’s home
Antonyamma, fondly known as Antu is our key community health worker, our anchor in the IPH urban health operational area of KG Halli. On Wednesday afternoon, Munna and myself went to her house to spend some time with her after hearing of her mother-in-law’s passing...
Engaging with Media: Is it a ‘scary’, ‘showy’ and ‘not so good thing to do’ for public health professionals?
As a part of the 3rd South Asian Regional Symposium on 'Evidence Informed Health Care' at CMC Vellore, I had an opportunity to listen to Dr. Norman Swan, a pediatrician turned journalist, who is currently working as a health correspondent with Australian Broadcasting...
An Unforgettable Journey
The most common reaction of laymen is that of raised eyebrows when you announce that you have a degree from the west. Having been through various such acquaintances, I was shocked when a colleague of mine, at a new course I was pursing, remarked ‘what’s there in a...
Follow the leader…
The auditorium at Tumkur was abuzz with expectation. The district and sub-district health officials from the government health services had congregated for a training session organised by Swasthya Karnataka on administrative procedures. The resource person for the day...
Notes from distant Bilaspur
On a recent visit to Chattisgarh, I had the opportunity of visiting the Jan Swasthya Sangha (JSS). This is a NGO launched by doctors in 1999. Currently there are 5 doctor couples and between them, they cover the following specialities - Medicine, Paediatrics, Surgery,...
life in a district hospital through the eyes of the CHD
The Institute of Public Health has taken on the responsibility of running a Citizens Help Desk (CHD) in the district hospitals of Bijapur and Bagalkot in North Karnataka. These CHDs are part of the innovations under the National Rural Health Mission.
Why are my patients not happy with my hospital?
It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. - Jiddu Krishnamurti Gubbi is a small town in Tumkur district in Southern Karnataka. Gubbi Veeranna, one of the well-known theatre personalities from Karnataka who started the first Kannada...
Micro health insurance in India
Full Citation: Devadasan N, Nagpal S. Perspectives and prospects in micro health insurance: the Indian scenario. IRDA Journal 2007; 5(12):12-17Year: 2007 Type: Journal Abstract: Not available Availability: Available full text at IRDA Journal
Improving quality of life of adivasi people
Full Citation: Devadasan R, Devadasan N. A better quality of life? The Hindu - Sunday Magazine July 16, 2000 Year: 2000 Type: Magazine Abstract: Not available Availability: To download full text* click here *For personal use only, not for commercial dissemination.