Damien Social Welfare Centre

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Damien Social Welfare Centre

Annual Report 2010

As the year is passing by the financial support from the different agencies is drying up and we at DSWC in spite of this very difficult financially condition see steady progress towards achieving the goal of our organization i.e., to reduce the cases of leprosy day in and day out. There was a time when Nirmala Leprosy Hospital, one of the units of DSWC used to get more than 10 new cases every day. There used to be 20 operations every week. The number of operation has come down so much that it little over 20 operations over a year. The new cases of leprosy have also come down. We do get new cases of leprosy, but that is 3 to 4 per OPD day. Of course Government does not accept these new cases as new. According to the Government leprosy is eradicated from India. But we do know that it still exists in India especially in this part of India, where still poverty prevails. Thanks to all the donors, friends and well-wishers, whose selfless support has helped us to bring down the cases of leprosy. However, the task is not over. In fact the task is more than challenging now than ever, for most of the donors have pulled out their resources. Now we have to work with the limited resources available to us. Precisely because of this the year 2010 is important to us. This year too DSWC family was busy with treatment to rehabilitation.

Nirmala Leprosy Hospital: Though the number of inpatients has reduced, but it does not mean that the cases of leprosy has in actual sense has reduced drastically. One of the main reasons for having fewer patients in the hospital is none other than poverty. Patients coming from our 21 colonies have reduced, not because they are not having ulcer cases, but because they are going to Shantinagar and Bokaro, where Missionary of Charities Sisters and Brothers are giving them free treatment. When they do not get cure or some time staying at home when the ulcer is aggravated, they come to Nirmala Leprosy Hospital. It is heartening to see patients coming not only with ulcer cases, but they come with worms dropping down from their ulcer. It is saddening that because of the poverty these deserving cases suffer so much. Thanks to our doctors and hoepital staff, who provide these patients not only with the proper medicine, but also the required care. This year 50 patients were admitted in the hospital from Dhanbad, Giridih, Bokaro, Ranchi, Gumla, Simdega, Kodarma, Khunti, Purulia, Bardawan, Jahanabad districts. 1424 OPD patients were attended to. Our pathology department had 5065 patients having blood tests, smear tests, urine tests, stool tests and sputum tests. Our Physiotherapy department had 2372 patients having received MCR Shoes, MCR repairs service, crutches supplied, splint supplied and physiotherapy provided.

This year as per the instruction from the Government of Jharkhand we, having diagnosed, started referring our patients to Patliputra Medical College & Hospital and Public Health Service for the final diagonosis and treatment. This made us take a big decision of closing down our Baramasia Mercy Post, as there were less number of patients and it was difficult to concentrate at two places. All the patients were shifted to Nirmala Leprosy Hospital.

Education: It is always an important tool for development. We are proud to say that DSWC has a wing called Nirmala Girls School and Hostel, which educate children from Kindergarten to class VII. Then it sends her children to John De’ Britto School, Gomoh, another unit of DSWC. At De Britto school children completes their high schooling. Like every year this year too DSWC provided free books and uniform to 118 children. 789 children are doing their schooling and 329 children are staying in the hostel. We are thankful to all the local donors, who visit the Nirmala Ashram time to time and provide either food or some necessary things for the children. This year 64 students appeared for the Jharkhand School Board Exam and all of them successfully completed their schooling.

Welfare Services: This year we are helping 6 children for their +2 studies. 7 girls are doing Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery and one boy is doing ITI. It is done preciously because they, having completed these studies, they would be the bread winner in the family and they would not live with low self image. We are happy to say that we have 56 disable people staying with us at our home for the disables called VIP. These are the people, who once, were productive member of the family. Now due to due to their disability, caused by leprosy, are not wanted by the family members. All of them are getting pension for the government. We provide them free housing, clothing, food and medical assistance whenever they are in need of.

Baramasia Rehabilitation & Training Centre (BRTC): This center continues to provide bread and butter 61 families. Bed sheets prepared by our staff (persons from leprosy background) are much in demand. Though it is rough, but it is strong and durable. The bandages and gauzes prepared by this center are supplied to the hospitals and nursing homes. We are happy that people working at BRTC are proud citizens of this country. Now they do not beg, but they live like any other human being with much dignity. This is our goal to help them lead a life with dignity.

Thinking in longer term: Though they are hundreds of NGOs, Agencies as well Government of different countries working for the eradication of leprosy, but surprisingly many yet to know about leprosy, its sign and symptoms, the ways to prevent it and more importantly that it is curable. There is still stigma attached to this disease. And so it is our, who are heavily involved in leprosy eradication, duty to educate people about leprosy. This year we imparted training to 37 persons on leprosy. They had theory classes as well as practical experience in the hospital, colonies, BRTC and at the home for the disables (VIP).

At the closing I would like to pay our tribute to our friends, well wishers, Donors and benefactors, who provided necessary suggestion, timely help and encouragement to DSWC to maintain our operation going. In future we look forward to more generous contributors, for however small your contribution may be, it is always going to make difference in the life of this people.

Our THANKS goes to our hardworking and committed staff in the field and at the centre. The organization has high appreciation for your dedicated service to this community.

At last but not the least THANKS to our Board Members, whose significant contribution through various ways cannot be measured. You are valuable to this organization, please continue to support us.

Fr. Walter Crasta

Director

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