Giving Rural Healthcare a Boost: Ponty Chadha Foundation

India’s growth over the past few years has made it one of the rising economies worldwide. That growth however has not been inclusive, certainly not when it comes to public healthcare. 

While towns and cities have banked on the economic spike and strong healthcare infrastructures have come up, rural India seems alienated from such benefits. There is extreme lack of facilities in some places and professional access is vulnerable. 

The village of Shadipur Chiddoli brings out the real picture of India’s rural healthcare. In a village dominated by population of women and children, there is no regulated medicare facility which has left the villagers indisposed and vulnerable to disorders of joints and skin. 

On learning of the state of affairs in the village, the Ponty Chadha Foundation, which is the CSR arm of the Wave Group, held a health camp on 3rd December, 2014 to spread awareness about common disorders and conduct free medical check-ups with doctors from the Indo German Hospital joining in. 

Anticipating a huge gathering, the premises of a local school were brought into use. An examination and dispensing centre was set up and patients were asked to undergo mandatory registrations which began at 10 AM and continued on until the camp ended at 1 PM. 

During the examinations, it came out that a high number of the villagers showed signs of developing skin, gynecological, and joint issues. On interacting with them, volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation realized that lack of awareness and options were the leading causes for the villagers neglecting evident symptoms.

A session was then held educating the villagers on the advantages of timely treatment and early diagnosis. Some villagers who were found showing developing symptoms were referred to the Indo-German Hospital where they would be administered treatment and advanced diagnostics. 

Rural healthcare is one of the areas of social welfare undertaken by Ponty Chadha Foundation, the CSR subsidiary of the Wave Group. Its outreach spans food fortification and special education. Under Vice Chairman Manpreet Chadha (Monty Chadha) the Wave group has gone on to become one of India’s leading realty conglomerates. 

Transforming Rural Health: Ponty Chadha Foundation

Healthcare is a fundamental right but many in India, especially rural India, do not get to enjoy it. Endogenous and exogenous factors continue to thwart thousands in rural areas from accessing fundamental healthcare.

The village of Shekhpur Khicra is a classic allegory of lack of healthcare facilities and rising cases that seek medical attention. After philanthropic organization Ponty Chadha Foundation overviewed the situation, it discovered medical attention was long overdue and set up a health camp on November 26^th 2014.  

The premises of the village school were drawn upon for hosting the event. Things kicked off early at 10 AM when the attendees started pouring in. Teams of doctors from the Indo German Hospital had joined in and together with volunteers from the Foundation they ensured things ensued in a businesslike manner.

A communications center was also set up where registrations took place. Every attendee had to register before they could see the doctor and an OPD card for the same was issued. Medicines and aid were thereafter given out from a separate counter within the premises.

On interacting with the gathering, volunteers from the Ponty Chadha Foundation realized the village had been facing gynecological and gastro issues but due to lack of options and awareness, they had not been able to seek proper treatment.  A short counselling session on the need of timely treatment and addressing many long-standing queries was also held.

 It also came out during the exchange that the village is made up by a large population of children and infants who were particularly indisposed to the lowly hygiene culture that prevails in the area. The volunteers then went on to discuss and spread awareness on the importance of hygiene and how the villagers could raise the bar on personal hygiene.

Some of the patients were found exhibiting signs of respiratory and joint issues and a few had to be referred to Indo German Hospital where they will be offered advanced diagnostics and treatment.

Ponty Chadha Foundation is the philanthropic wing of Wave Group established in memory of late Mr. Gurdeep Chadha. Its areas of influence include childcare, special education, and food provisioning.

PCF organizes health camp in Village Dinanathpur

Health is a privilege denied to many. While in theory, there shouldn’t be any demographic or racial divide in access to basic amenities and social services to the citizens of a nation, things play out very differently in India.

The rural-urban divide in the country continues to pit a huge disparity between the general health and wellbeing of the populace. While on one hand, modern amenities and medical facilities are increasingly improved for city dwellers, access to even basic healthcare and diagnostics is difficult for the rural public. And, as most of India –or most of its poor—live in the villages, dearth of qualified medical functionaries and basic healthcare infrastructure continues to be the biggest challenge that thwarts growth of the nation.

Identifying this national concern, the Ponty Chadha Foundation has set about making a change at the grassroots level. In a series of healthcare initiatives taken up by them to increase the outreach of medical facilities to the underserved, a health camp was organized at Village Dinanathpur in collaboration with the Indo German Hospital, on November 19^th. Starting off at 1000 hrs. morning, the camp saw a huge crowd turn up with as many as 121 patients from 300 families undergo examination until 1pm.

The Foundation had its experienced volunteers working together to avoid any pandemonium. The huge playground of the village government school was let out to provide ample room for the patients to be comfortably seated while they awaited their turn. Separate registration, check-up and medicine distribution counters were setup to further systemize the operation. A patient would have to first obtain a token number and get their name and age registered on the OPD card; then, they would wait for getting examined, following which medicaments from the dedicated counter could be collected.  

The doctors at the camp did a thorough check-up after which a few cases were referred to the Indo German hospital for further diagnostics and treatment. They also spread awareness about safe sanitation practices and its importance in general well-being.

The doctors said that most complaints pertained to respiratory problems and joint pain which could have been well-addressed with timely treatment. This message was passed on to the villagers and was evidently was well received.

Ponty Chadha Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Wave Group and works towards social welfare through special childcare and food supply.