Tribal school Echocardiography Assessment in Children for Heart disease - The TEACH Project
Phase 1 ( Pathanmthitta District) of the much awaited IAE- Tribal School Echo screening Project got kicked off at Model Residential School , Vadasserikkara, on 26.2.2023.
Prof. Rajan Joseph Manjuran, Prof Prabha Nini Gupta, , Dr Sajan Ahmad Z, Dr Abhilash T G , Dr Anil Balachandran , Dr Jo Joseph and Dr James Thomas participated in the camp.
Official inauguration was done in a crisp function graced by Panchayat Member , School Superintendent and School Manager.
We could screen around 150 children and could pick up some silent but significant lesions and advice regarding appropriate follow up visits were also given. Happy to see that most of the children were quite healthy and cheerful….
Camp started by 9.30 AM and finished by around 2 P M. After the programme, everyone enjoyed sharing the children’s lunch at the school canteen.
Day 2 of the programme was conducted at Tribal Girl’s Hostel, Chittar, Pathamthitta District on 5.3.23 . Children from Tribal Boy’s Hostel, Kadumeenchira were also brought to the camp venue by Tribal Department staff.
Prof. Rajan Joseph Manjuran, Prof Prabha Nini Gupta, Dr Praveen S, Dr Joby K Thomas and Dr James Thomas took part in the camp.
We could screen around 50 children and could pick up a few silent lesions.
A small, but colourful official inauguration also was organised. We were honoured to have Dr L Anithakumari, DMO Pathanamthitta to preside the meeting . The function was also graced by Tribal Extension Officer, Panchayat President , members of Block and Grama Panchayat and Hostel Warden .
Lunch at the children’s mess hall after the programme will be a cherished memory for all of us.
Special thanks to M/s G E Healthcare ( Day 1 & Day 2) and M/s Mindray (Day 1) for arranging Echo machines for the programme.
Our sincere thanks to Mr Sudheer S, Tribal Development Officer for the smooth coordination.
IAE - K will be indebted to Dr L Anithakumari , DMO Pathanamthitta District, for all the help extended for the programme.
We also appreciate the sincere efforts of our Office Secretary, Mr Aneesh Lawrence in organising the programme.
For us, it was two days well spent….
And a great beginning for our dream project …A project which we hope , one day…will cover the entire state of Kerala.
( The idea to conduct Echocardiographic screening camps in weaker sections of our societies, especially tribal population, was initially put forward by Prof Rajan Joseph Manjuran in one of our EC meetings and the entire EC whole heartedly supported it. After many brain storming sessions, it was decided to launch the first phase of the programme in Pathanamthitta District. The project finally materialised after multiple discussions and meetings with DMO and officials of Tribal and Education Department.
Courtesy for the acronym TEACH : Dr Sajan Ahmad … He came out with the idea in less than 3 minutes flat
Click to view The TEACH Project.jpg)