2008-10-10T23:19:00.000-07:00

“If you want to”, the leper said, “you can make me clean.”Jesus was filled with pity reached out and touched him. “I do want to” he answered. “Be clean!”At once the disease left the man and he was clean. (Mk 1: 40-42)

SARVA PREMA WELFARE SOCIETY
Registered: 24-12-2005
Registration No 993 of 2005
Head Office: Fatimanagar – N.I.T. Post Office
Warangal – 506004
Andhra Pradesh, India.
Phone: 0870-6598100

"God demands nothing less than complete self-surrender as the price for the only freedom that is worth having. When a man thus loses himself, he immediately finds himself in the service of others."
Mahatma Gandhi

"The poor give us much more than we give them.They are so strong people, living day- by- day with little food, and they never curse, never complain.We don’t have to give them pity, because we have so much to learn from them"
-Mother Teresa

SARVA PREMA WELFARE SOCIETY

In December 2005 a new charitable society has been registered in Warangal under the name of SARVA PREMA WELFARE SOCIETY (SPWS). The initiative was taken by a group of service oriented people belonging to different communities. In telugu language, spoken in Andhra Pradesh, the word SARVA means ‘for all’ and PREMA means ‘love'.
The Head Office is located at Fatimanagar (near Kazipet) in a building belonging to the Diocese of Warangal. The building is offered for the purposes of the society, for which we are very grateful.
The staff of SWPS comprises of 2 medical officers , 6 paramedics,1 dresser,1 cobbler(for making special foot wears for leprosy patients),1 driver,1 attendant.

-THE STAFF OF SPWS & WELL WISHERS ON THE OCCASION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY

PROJECT AREA

The city of Warangal (approximately 900.000 inhabitants) is the capital of one District of the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. The economy of the District is predominantly agricultural. There are no major rivers, except one on the border of the District and most of its land depends on the monsoon rain for cropping.

-A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE CITY FROM THE TOP OF A ROCKY HILL. MANY SUCH HILLS CAN BE SEEN IN AND AROUND THE CITY.
THE FAMOUS THOUSAND PILLARS TEMPLE BUILT IN THE 12th CENTURY.

-A RARE GREEN COLOURED MOSQUE.

- A BUSY CITY ROAD

SOCIAL AND HEALTH PROBLEMS

Unemployment is very high, as there are very few industries in the District. Many people earn their living by working as labourers on daily wages in the agricultural sector.
Poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy are prevalent in large strata of the population. Alcoholism among men is a serious problem affecting their families. These are the grounds on which many diseases can spread, particularly among women and children.
Leprosy is still present, though the number of new cases is on the decline. On the contrary, the number of patients with TB and HIV/AIDS is increasing. In the hot tropical climate the skin is exposed, causing many dermatological disorders.

-DAILY WAGES AGRICULTURAL WORKERS.

-A PARAMEDIC OF SPWS ON HOME VISIT OF PATIENTS IN A CITY SLUM

-LIVING CONDITION OF MANY OF OUR PATIENTS

- POOR HYGENIC AND SANITARY CONDITIONS

-AN OPEN AIR KITCHEN!!

OBJECTIVES OF SARVA PREMA WELFARE SOCIETY

SPWS operates in the city of Warangal, for the following purposes:

MEDICAL TREATMENT
-> To provide treatment to newly detected cases of leprosy, in collaboration with the District leprosy authority and follow up cured leprosy patients with residual deformities.
-> To ensure compliance to the TB treatment provided by the Health Authorities:
DOTS:- Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) through DOTS centers and DOTS providers, under our supervision (65% of the TB patients in Warangal are followed up by our staff).
-> To follow up with special care the TB patients who are also affected by HIV/AIDS. To ensure compliance, after completion of DOTS, among those AIDS affected patients who are on Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) in the Government Health Centre.
-> To provide free treatment for skin diseases to the poor population in the Urban Health Centers.
-> To monitor the health conditions and treat diseases of poor children in various charitable institutions in the city and a few surrounding villages.

A skin and leprosy clinic
- DISPENSING MEDICINES AFTER THE CHECK UP

-PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC

- ELECTRIC STIMULATION OF MUSCLES

-PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC- WAX BATH

- A SPWS PARAMEDIC SUPERVISING A T.B PATIENT TAKING DOTS TREATMENT

-A PEDIATRIC CLINIC FOR ORPHAN CHILDREN WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE

-A QUEUE OF POOR SCHOOL CHILDREN IN A HOSTEL WAITING FOR MEDICAL EXAMINATION

- THE TWO MEDICAL OFFICERS EXAMINING CHILDREN

-THE STREET CHILDREN NEAR WARANGAL STATION ARE REGULAR PATIENTS OF SPWS

SOCIO-ECONOMIC REHABILITATION

The socio-economic rehabilitation activities of SPWS are aimed at providing emergency aid to patients and their families who are in urgent need of help:
* Food supplement in the first few months of DOTS therapy for TB patients who are very weak and unable to work. Long term socio-economic rehabilitation is also offered in order to provide relief to poverty stricken patients and their families.
* Micro Credits for starting small businesses or expanding existing ones.
* Scholarships for pursuing the education of deserving children .
* Housing project for homeless patients.
* Pension scheme for elderly and helpless patients.

-DIFFERENT TYPES OF MICRO CREDITS GIVEN TO OUR PATIENTS TO EARN A LIVING

-PAYMENT OF MONTHLY PENSIONS TO ELDERLY AND HELPLESS PATIENTS

FAMILY OF A POOR LEPROSY PATIENT RELOCATED FROM A CRUMBLING HUT INTO A NEW HOUSE

A POOR WIDOW WITH FOUR CHILDREN (THREE ARE SEEN IN ABOVE PICTURE) RELOCATED IN A NEW HOUSE.

BENEFICIARIES (AVERAGE NUMBER YEARLY) ___________________________________________________

=>Newly detected and treated leprosy patients: 70
NOTE:- 55% belong to the Multi Bacillary (MB) group
45% belong to the Pauci Bacillary (PB) group
=>No. of cured but deformed leprosy patients followed up : 420
=>Number of active TB cases followed up for DOTS theraphy : 360
=>Number of HIV/AIDS patients followed up after DOTS : 42
=>Number of patients attending our skin clinics : 38000
=> Number of poor children examined and treated: 8500

HIV STATUS OF T.B PATIENTS ON DOTS TREATMENT

Total No. of New T.B patients in the period march 2007-2008 : 360
No. of patients in between the age of 18-45 : 210
Patients of column 2 who refused the HIV test : 32
Patients of column 2 who underwent the HIV test: 178
No. of HIV positive patients among of those of column 4: 42
No. of HIV positive patients put on ART : 10

An emerging health problem is that of patients who do not take regularly the anti T.B treatment. The consequence is that the bacteria causing the disease becomes resistant to the available drugs.
Patient who get infected by these bacteria do not respond to the DOTS treatment (primary resistance). This is a development which can seriously affect the T.B control programme in India.
In SPWS we are presently following up 10 primary resistant T.B patients.

OUR SKIN AND LEPROSY CLINICS IN EVERY ZONE
AND TIMINGS

Monday
1. Urban health center, Warangal fort 8.30 to 10.30 am
2. Navajeevan shelter for street 10.30 to11.30 am
children near Warangal Station

Tuesday
1. Municipal Health center, Rangashaipet 8.30 to 11 am
2. Urban health center, Karimabad 11 to 12 noon

Wednesday
1.Urban health center, Rangashaipet 8.30 to 10 am
2. Urban health center, Shayampet 10 to 12 noon

Thursday
1.Assisi School, Labour Colony 8.30 to 10 am
2. Urban health center, Chintal 10 to 12 noon

Friday
1. Head Quarters Clinic, Fatimanagar. 8.30 to 12 noon
2. Urban Health Center, Deshaipet 4 to 5.30 pm

Saturday
1. Urban health center, Laskhar Singaram 8.30 to10.30am
2. Urban health center, Pochammakunta. 10 to 12 am

NUMBER OF DOTS CENTERS/PROVIDERS IN EVERY ZONE

Fort Warangal 16
Hanamkonda 18
Papaipet 18
Labour colony 12
Fatimanagar 25
Karimabad 15
Rangashaipet 10

INSTITUTIONS WHERE WE PROVIDE CARE TO CHILDREN

1. VidyaNikethan High School, Pendial (karunapuram).
2. VidyaNikethan Junior College, Pendial (karunapuram).
3. Little Flower High School for dumb &deaf, Pendial (karunapuram).
4. Maria Rani High School for girls, Pendial (karunapuram).
5. Don Bosco High School, Mariapuram (Mamnoor).
6. Mallikamba School for Mentally Handicapped Children.
7. St.Alpons Upper Primary School for Orphan Children, Reddypuram.
8. Social Welfare Hostel for S.C & S.T Girls , Hanamkonda.
9. S.T Girls Hostel, Julaiwada.

10.B.C Hostel for Boys, Kazipet.
11. Boys & Girls Hostel, Dharmasagar.

POINTS TO REMEMBER REGARDING LEPROSY

*All leprosy patients are not infectious. Leprosy is one among many infectious diseases, but is the least infectious.
*More than 95% of the healthy persons coming in contact with leprosy patients will never get the disease.
* Leprosy is not a hereditary disease .
* Infectious patients under modern treatment do not spread the disease.
* Early treatment prevents deformities. Deformity is not a sign of infection .
* Ulcers and wounds in leprosy patients do not discharge germs of leprosy and therefore are not a source of infection .

SUSPECT LEPROSY WHEN

*There are one or more pale, or sometimes reddish, non itching and numb skin patches
*There is loss of sensation and weakness of fingers
* There is swollen, oily and reddish skin on face and earlobes.

A CURED BUT DEFORMED LEPROSY PATIENT. HE IS NOT INFECTIOUS

REMEMBER :

LEPROSY IS DEFINITELY CURABLE.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF T.B.
*Cough and evening fever for more than three weeks.
*Blood in the sputum.
*Persistent chest pain.
*Weakness and loss of weight .

Since 2006, on the occasion of “World T.B Day “(24 March), we are being awarded as the best DOTS provider. This photo was taken in 2008.

WE THANK THE SPONSORS WHO HELP
OUR HUMANITARIAN WORK

REGIONE LOMBARDIA (ITALY)
GAAG GROUP - LEGNANO (ITALY)
AIUTIAMO I NOSTRI AMICI LEBBROSI – UDINE (ITALY)
ARBOR FOUNDATION (SWITZERLAND)
MEDICAL RELIEF SOCIETY (DETROIT – USA)
DIOCESE OF WARANGAL (INDIA)
PIME WELFARE SOCIETY ELURU (INDIA)

Based on the experience gained in Sarva Prema Welfare Society, the director of this institution: Fr.Dr.Antonio Grugni has published a book titled “The Gospel of the Rose”.
The author, an Italian doctor doing social service in India since 1976, has dedicated himself to the medical treatment and socio-economic rehabilitation of leprosy patients and also of patients affected by T.B and HIV/AIDS.
The first edition of the book has been published in 2007 by the St.Paul’s publications in Mumbai. The second edition has been published in 2008.
Here is a review of this book published in “The New Leader”, July 1-15, 2008 by Fr. M .Amaladoss, SJ director of the Center of Inter-Religious studies in the University of Chennai:
“This book is an interesting and attractive combination of personal experience, of theological reflection nourished and justified by Church documents from both universal and Asian levels (FABC) and by writings of mostly Asian theologians and of illustrations with real life stories. The author Dr.Antonio Grugni, an Italian doctor, has narrated the stories of his life and the lives of his many patients, complementing the narration with his systematic reflections. This is theology in action .His commitment to the patients as well as to the gospel, as well as his openness to new theological perspectives in mission is admirable.”

If you are interested in reading this book, please log onto
“www.thegospeloftherose.blogspot.com”

OR
To obtain the book contact stpaulsmarketing@gmail.com