TOI visited the annual surgical camp at Hemalkasa organised by the Rotary Club of Nagpur in association with Mahindra and Mahindra on January 7 and 8 and returned absolutely mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the place, stunned by the abject poverty amongst the Madia Gond tribals, disappointed by the neglect on part of the government and inspired by the wonderful, selfless work done by the Amtes and Rotarians. Here's an account.
Every year, a team of nearly 50 medical practitioners comprising noted surgeons, radiologists, gynecologists, dental surgeons, pathologists, ophthalmologists, junior doctors, nurses, attendants along with Rotarians from Nagpur travel to Hemalkasa for the two-day surgical camp. Patients who have been screened and identified for surgeries line up at the camp days in advance and await their turns. Many wait for months to get treatment for free at the camp. They trek through harsh terrain and thick forest for several kilometres to arrive at Hemalkasa.
Even at 9 am, the eight surgery tables at the three operation theatres in the hospital within the ashram are occupied as doctors have begun surgeries, while other patients await their turn outside. Twelve surgeries have already been completed. The doctors and nurses are gathered around the tables and are going about the surgeries without advanced medical equipment at their disposal. What began in a door-less hut without telephone, electricity and privacy has metamorphosed into an equipped hospital.
"It's only after five days that the electricity has been restored and the landlines are still dead. There are no networks for mobile phones. Nothing has changed here even after 38 years," Dr Amte remarked.
In spite of the shortcomings, the doctors continue to attend the patients tirelessly. Time is short and the patients' queue seems endless. They worry that they may not be able to attend to all if they waste time. "Each minute is precious," said a doctor as he rushed for another patient crying with pain, stopping to munch on a sandwich.
For the tribals, the camp is a pilgrimage. The picturesque backdrop of Hemalkasa with three rivers - Indravati, Parlakota and Pamul Gautami - is a contrast to those in tremendous pain. The Rotarians act as the link between the doctors, tribals and the Amtes. "Now people from faraway border areas of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have started coming. We do not publicise the camp and yet the turnout is huge. Imagine what would happen if we start advertising. Two days before the camp, our students go out to nearby villages on cycles and inform the patients," said Dr Mandakini. Informing them too many days in advance does not help as the tribals lack sense of date, timing or distance, she added.
Another doctor pointed at the amazing healing and tolerance capacities of the tribals, who walk back to their respective villages a day after surgery. "In the past, we would see many rare and difficult cases but over the years, such cases have fallen as medical facilities improved. We have seen patients with tumours weighing a few kg in their bellies or hanging out from some other part of their body," said Dr D Buhariwalla.
Doctors work for 12-18 hours a day to ensure that patients are not left out. Women Rotarians seated in a room adjacent to the OT serve doctors with snacks. Regarding the langar, Atul Shah said, "The langar is a feast for the tribals. They rarely get to eat such good food."
Another achievement that has made the Amtes proud is the superb performance of the students of the residential school, some of whom have become doctors and advocates.
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