An energetic year of service in Chennai, India
The TOS, Chennai Region is made up of two groups, the TOS, Chennai Group and the TOS, Besant Group. Together they provide a wide range of medical and social welfare services to the underprivileged members of their community. In the following report, the Joint-Secretary and Head of Projects in the TOS, Chennai Group, Mr C.V.K. Maithreya, shares the highlights of the Region’s recent activities.
Providing free medicines
Free medical service
A free medical service was conducted on all Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon with up to 100 patients attending each week. Workers of the TS at Adyar and underprivileged people from neighbouring areas have benefitted from this service. Dr Revathy, Dr S.D. Inbaraj, Dr Uma Natarajan and Dr Sunita Maithreya have provided their services on a voluntary basis, ably assisted by Mrs Vasanta and Mr Krishnasamy.
The TOS group is very grateful to Mr Palaniappan for his donations and for supplying medicines free of cost.
A homeopathy service was also provided every Sunday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. by Dr Rama Subramanyam who was assisted by Mr N. Raghupathy.
Health camp
A health camp was conducted in May in which doctors from various disciplines like Dialectology, Ear, Nose and Throat, Ophthalmic, Dental, Physiotherapy, Gynaecology, Paediatrics and General Medicines took part. Blood tests and bone density tests were also taken.
Nearly 300 patients living in poverty attended this camp.
Members of the Vasanta Round table also helped in the camp.
Seeing Eyes for Everyone (SEE)
On the first Sunday of every month specialists from Udhi Eye Hospital screened patients. Spectacles were supplied to those who needed them. Cataract patients were taken to the hospital for surgery. In the current year about 135 under-privileged people were given spectacles and 8 persons underwent surgery. Since 2007, nearly 15,000 patients have been screened and individuals needing spectacles or surgeries have had these provided completely free.
Strength, Health and Energy programme (SHE)
127 TS workers at Adyar were given a complete health check-up with the Precision Diagnostics Centre in Sastri Nagar, Chennai. About ten workers were sent daily in a van to the diagnostics centre. Among the screened workers some were diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension or kidney problems. The results were given to the TS Dispensary for further treatment. Both the TS and its workers were happy with this initiative.
As part of the SHE Project free dental check-ups and treatment have been provided with the help of the Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, Thiruvanmiyur.
Dental check-up
Donation to Uttarakhand Flood Relief
80 boxes of relief material were dispatched by volunteers representing various NGOs, under the leadership of the TOS, Chennai Region. Money was also collected for the relief project.
Other environmental and social welfare activities
- Beach cleaning was carried out regularly under the supervision of Dr M. Srinivasan and Mr Sethu.
- A physically handicapped man was provided with part payment towards a wheelchair to enable him to set up his mobile tea stall.
- Around 100 children attending the Social Welfare Centre at Adyar were supplied with new dresses and sweets.
- Under the leadership of the TOS, Chennai Region, 80 boxes of relief material were dispatched for the Uttarakhand Flood Relief programme, by volunteers representing various NGOs. Money was also collected for this relief project.
- Donations from members were used to provide utensils to impoverished people, to contribute towards students’ educational expenses and to purchase books for students. Members also conducted seminars on education at Tanjore and Coimbatore.