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Well hello!!!!
I am Delhi now, which I will be for the rest of my trip.Alyssa and I spent last week in New Delhi working at the Venu Eye Institute and Research Center.I really haven't studied much about eye care before, so it was pretty interesting seeing patients and talking with the doctors and optometrists about the different eye problems and treatments.Venu has a base hospital (which the hostel, a.k.a. dorm, that we stayed in for the week was right next to) and six satellite hospitals around Delhi and the region.We visited the biggest of these satellite hospitals Monday, and noticing the over-crowded waiting area, it was no surprise to us that the facility sees an average of 150 patients each day.About 80% of the visits are free of cost because the patients cannot afford the care.(Venu is an NGO which receives money from various sources, some of which are from the U.S. I believe, which is why it can afford to offer whatever services are needed free of cost to those with the inability to pay.)Venu also runs one-day screening camps in rural areas outside Delhi to check for cataract patients.The day we went with the outreach team to one of the villages, the doctors checked 156 patients in three hours and deemed 21 in need of cataract surgery.These 21 patients rode in a Venu bus back to the hospital to have surgery the following day and be taken back to their village the day after that.It still surprises me how many patients they treat through this organization!We also did a few other outreach visits this week that were not related to Venu.One, a visit to the SAHARA Women's and Children's Home, gave us a public health perspective on an organization that is trying to help women who have abused drugs or alcohol or are commercial sex workers.They stay at the Home for six months usually, during which they go through detoxification and learn life skills which they can take with them once they leave.One such skill was card making, and Alyssa and I got to do it with them for a little while during our visit.The other outreach thing we did last week independent of Venu was visit an HIV/AIDS Integrated Counseling and Treatment Center.We literally drove through the Delhi truck yard to get to the center, located on the outskirts of the truck yard and a slum-like neighborhood.The center gives pre- and post-HIV-test counseling to members of the populations at higher risk for contraction of the virus: female sex workers (FSW), casual sex workers (CSW), injection drug users (DU), and men who have sex with men (MSM.)A few people from these groups who had come to the center previously for testing and counseling are now the backbone behind the center's success, working as advocates for testing and educators about HIV and safer sex practices.We met a few of these "peer health educators" during our time at the center Friday morning.
Needless to say, we were kept busy last week!We took a break from the work and decided to be tourists for our last weekend here.I'm sitting in the Taj Ambassador Hotel, a five-star hotel in the heart of Delhi.A local connection was able to get us the room for about half price, so we are enjoying the luxurious life for these couple days.We went swimming in the gorgeous, large pool this morning, then headed out to the Delhi markets for some more culture absorbing and to pick up some last-minute gifts.Sarah, a girl we have known since out first rotation in Dehra Dun, met us here yesterday and went around the city with us today.She left for the airport at about 8:00 PM this evening, and it kind of made it hit home that I'll be doing the same in just one short week.I can't believe this trip is almost over!I have until Friday evening, and then it's off to the airport for me as well.Alyssa is actually leaving Monday evening n order to get back to Oregon in time to meet her family who are flying in for her graduation this weekend.As such, I will actually be by myself those last four days.Sanjay, the local CFHI coordinator, has said he will take me everywhere I need to go (or arrange my transportation.)I'm not too worried since there really isn't much I'll be needing to do n the city, so I can finish my final packing and all this last week before I fly out to Germany.Since I am working with another outreach group this next week (I think most of the time I'm actually with the SAHARA organization Alyssa spent one morning with last week), I don't know yet what my living accommodations will be like.I'm assuming I won't have internet there, so this may well be my last chance to get online before I get to Europe.We'll see, but if so, farewell!I've had a lot of fun here and a good time updating you all on my whereabouts and activities.Thanks for taking to time to read my blogs and look at the pictures.They really do show India better than I can describe it.I look forward to seeing everyone when I get home!!
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