Background
In India, there is a severe deficit of doctors and qualified medical professionals. In fact, there are 15,700 primary health centres operating with just 1 doctor. Health and medical projects are uncertain and hygiene is a big concern in Indian healthcare. The medical professionals have to relay even basic hygiene practices to the local community and the underprivileged slum dwellers.
Challenge
The support staff that operate at local slum clinics are non-qualified people aspiring to be doctors or nurses. There is so much work in slums that doctors hire unqualified people and start training them from the lowest level of education since qualified staff is expensive and these small clinics lack funds. The support staff is usually motivated but not equipped to work hygienically & don’t get constant training. Over time, with on-the-job experience they develop basic skills but still lack the academic background to medicine. These clinics need volunteers to educate them and the patients.
SBB Intervention
Nursing and medical background volunteers are much needed in the clinics and slum health projects for the local communities. Most of these centres are clinics, charitable hospitals and slum health check-up camps. The patients are from the economically weaker section and cannot afford the expensive treatment in good hospitals. Volunteers are required to help work in these centres through their expertise and knowledge-sharing. We have projects for amateurs to professionals in the medical field.
Initially, volunteers work as a staff member and help in activities ranging from blood pressure tests, first aid treatment, cleaning the hospital, assisting the patients, shadowing the doctor while visiting the patients and more as per the need of the hospitals. Volunteers can also work on special health check-up camps and help the team in taking health surveys and drives to encourage people to come for the check-up.
Main tasks of the volunteers:
- Enable community education through basic hygiene practices, bad social habits and own resources
- Observe the doctors and understand the patients’ condition
- Take vitals (BP, heartbeat, temperature)
- Assist the nurses if in hospital
- Use IV needles, if permitted/qualified
- Give injections, if permitted/qualified
- Put bandages and treat wounds
- Consult with the doctor/nurses regarding the medicine given to patients
- Assist in daily routine tasks like rolling bandages, making beds of the patients, assisting with tools and more
- If you are a professional doctor, then taking full responsibility for examination and treatment is welcomed
- Help in medical-camp preparation and execution
- Program Base: Jaipur
- Project duration: 1- 24 Weeks
- Joining dates: Throughout the year
- Arrival date: Saturday or Sunday are preferable, if not weekdays will be managed
- Arrival airport : Jaipur
- Beneficiaries: Vulnerable elephants and mahout families
- Working days: Monday to Friday, Weekends are off
- Total volunteer hours: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM OR 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Weekends: Free to do sightseeing or travel
- Requirements: Basic English, background clearance and qualifications to work with children
- Pre-arrival assistance
- Detailed pre-arrival orientation and cultural awareness info
- Pick-up from Jaipur International Airport
- A detailed orientation about India, project, cultural responsibility and things to remember in India, SIM card assistance
- Accommodation with host family (single or dual occupancy) or volunteer house
- All meals (Authentic Indian meals) Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Resource materials to use on project
- Weekly market visit to shop for your necessities
- Cultural workshops: 1 Hindi class, 1 Indian dress workshop, 1 professional Yoga class, 1 cooking class
- Airport drop at Jaipur International Airport
- Logistics & program assistance if required
- Emergency support
Host family: Indian local family which is ready to receive you like a family member, share food and space with you. Chances of having single or dual occupancy are there as we don’t keep more than 3 people in one room in host families. Host family accommodation is best to discover the local culture and to enjoy tasty home-made Indian food. Food includes breakfast, lunch and dinner made by the host and includes vegetarian authentic dishes like chapatis, daal, vegetables.
Facilities include:
- Shared bedroom (max 2 people)
- Western washroom with toilet & shower
- Hot & cold water
- Filtered water
- Common Fridge
- Common semi-automatic washing machine
- Kitchen access to cook food if wished so
- Wi-Fi or internet Data access
- Family environment
- Comfortable & safe stay option
Volunteer House: This is a common accommodation for our foreign participants to share and experience each other’s culture as we have participants from all over the globe. To ensure understanding and security in this accommodation we have some basic rules to follow to make sure everyone is convenient here. Rules are no smoking inside the accommodation, no night outs, no outsiders allowed. Food in the volunteer house includes breakfast which is self-service (make your own coffee or tea, toast, oats), lunch and dinner are ordered by our coordinator staff with delivery from hygienic and decent restaurants or chefs. Food is vegetarian authentic meals like chapatis, daal, vegetables.
Facilities include:
- Gender based division of participants
- Rooms with max 4 people in
- Western toilets
- Shower
- Kitchen to cook
- Hot & cold water facilities
- Wi-Fi facility
- Semi-automatic washing machine
- Fridge
- Filtered water
- Hindi class
- Indian saree workshop
- Professional Yoga class
- Indian cooking class
- Air fare
- Visa
- Insurance
- Local transportation (mostly on walking distance or support from coordinators)
- SIM card
- Personal expenses
For costs and further details please contact us on info@stepbeyondborders.org