Chronic Care Foundation

Chronic Care Foundation in coordination with the Anchal Charitable Trust organised a Public Health Education Campaign on Chronic Diseases at Jhilmil Industrial Area, Shahdra, East Delhi, on 14 May 2007, which was attended by 40 participants, who were from nearby slums of Shahdara , a follow up session was also organised on June 5, 2007.

Objective of the Campaign:
• To generate awareness amongst the participants about chronic diseases.
• To counsel participants to follow up appropriately where required for treatment of the disease and self management in future.

Special initiatives of the campaign:
• Free Testing facility for Random Sugar and KFT (Kidney Functional Test)
• Medical counselling to the participants based on their Diagnostic Blood
Test reports.

Dr (Col) Rajendra Sharma, MD was the lead facilitator for this campaign.
He educated participants in details about Chronic Diseases like Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Renal issues along with the current scenario in India as well as economic and social impact of it. Apart from this he also briefed the participants about the causes, symptoms and management of the diseases.

The Chronic Care Foundation also arranged free diagnostic tests for Random sugar and KFT (Kidney Functional Test) . Thirty five of the participants voluntarily underwent both the tests.

Based on the blood diagnostic test reports a follow up session was organised on June 5, 2007. This session was arranged exclusively for those participants who required further medical counselling to enable them take required and adequate further steps for treatment. Follow up session was conducted by a counselling panel comprising of Dr (Col) Rajendra Sharma (MD) and Ms Rama Naidu CE, Chronic Care Foundation. 10-15 Minutes were spent with each participant for the counselling session.

Dr Rajendra Sharma helped participants to develop a disease self Management Plan and provided guidance on the next few steps that they should be taking to avoid further problems. He also guided them on simple dietary regulations and home remedies for simpler ailments like shortage of calcium, high protein and globulin etc.

The enabling environment helped the participants to feel comfortable they discussed their problems in detail without any hesitation which helped to make a more realistic assessment of their possible risk factors.