Uplift Mutuals

NCD screening and support forms an essential part of Uplift outpatient care offering (OCO).
Organized daily in the slums of Mumbai, Uplift OCO recently saw a 33-year-old patient in Santacruz, who had come in for simple cough, cold and sore throat.
During the general checkup, the Uplift doctor found his blood pressure to be on the higher side (177/115 mmHg). The patient had no history of blood pressure nor had any symptoms related to it. Considering his age he had never gone for a checkup.

After giving the symptomatic treatment and guidance on why it is necessary to keep the blood pressure under control even if there are no symptoms, the Uplift doctor immediately referred the patient to the nearby government health post in Santacruz. Regular follow up with the patient by the Uplift doctor has ensured that the patient is taking the medicines every day.

A WHO report states that about 66 % of the deaths in 2019 in India were caused due to NCD’s and out of this the major contributor was cardiovascular (28%). Affordability, Easy Access and routine follow-up are the three essential parts of NCD management, and the Uplift outpatient care ensures this for low-income households through its mutual health protection programme.

Titiksha Mukherjee, Alka Parikh, Amit Wadkar

We are very happy to share the story of one of our young members of the School Be Well project, Faizal.

Amidst the corona threat, we shifted our doorstep clinics to tele consultations for our members and we had to be extremely careful as we were dealing with small kids. Over the phone it sometimes can become risky if we are not able to understand what the child is suffering from. Which is why these calls are attended only by our senior most doctors.
Over the past month we have been hearing stories from our field areas that have reassured us that if done properly (yes there is method to madness) tele consultations can actually work . Sharing one of them.

Our young member Faizal (in photo) had one small boil over his forehead in between his eyebrows. His parents had already started medicine from a local doctor and were hoping that it will be cured. But it did not. It was a very minor problem for them, so they did not even report it when they had received a monthly follow up call from Uplift helpline. They did not take him to a hospital due to risk of corona infection and so kept the medicines and home remedies on.

Faizal studies in one of the Doorstep Schools in Natwar Parekh Mumbai where we run the “School Be Well “programme. His teacher Shashi madam was worried for his condition decided to approach Uplift staff whom she would meet for planning the physical clinics in the school. She was concerned that Faizal’s medicines were not showing results and that he needed a better advice.
She sent Faizal’s photo and the prescription that he was being administered to Uplift’s senior doctor who handles the tele consultation. On seeing his photo, the Uplift doctor immediately called his parents. Faizal’s medical condition had already crossed the stage where it can be controlled by medicines. He needed immediate minor surgery.

This was a shock for Faizal parents who were not at all aware that things could be this serious. He was taken to a nearby private hospital. Uplifts doctor remained in close communication with the parents as well as confirmed the treatment protocol with the treating doctor.

Faizal was operated in time and is now better.

On submitting his hospitalisation papers, he also received the financial aid from his mutual that covered 100 % of his expenses.

While we were following our protocols, we are thankful to the teacher “Sashi madam” who cared for her student and sought help for him. Doctors and health staff do run the programme but with the support of such teachers, the programme will reach new levels.

Amit Wadkar Vrushali Vengurlekar Nandini KS Manali Jade Pramod Sable

Uplift wishes two of its family members..belated happy birthday Poonam Vishwajeet Shinde and happy birthday Dr Amit Wadkar.

Dr Amit Wadkar - an ever smiling, loving and caring doctor has been with Uplift for the past 12 years handling Uplift's services portfolio.

When Covid 19 started spreading in Pune he was restless for not being able to do more for the people , even though he was handling hundreds of call/followups daily on the Uplift 24X7 helpline.

Nevertheless he has found a way to do more in these extraordinary times.

We are extremely proud that our colleague Dr Amit Wadkar who is currently working with the Pune Municipal Corporation, Bhartiya Jain Sanghatna and RSS on intensive screening and providing primary health care through mobile van in the red zones of Pune.

His work includes screening of 500-1000 citizens per day for Covid, screening if someone has some other health issues, treating them with primary medicines and sending all the suspected cases to the government hospitals.

Dr Amit you are an inspiration and the team is proud of you.

-19

Nandini KS Vrushali Vengurlekar Manali Jade Abhijit Sale Pratibha Udekar Agawane Titiksha Mukherjee Alka Parikh Shariq Nisar Kumar Neelabh

The corona fight together ..team Uplift by Dr Amit Wadkar