Past Projects
India
Since early 2001, CAI has been working with medical staff in the Ahmedabad
VS Hospital to improve facilities.
Wards which were falling into extreme disrepair have been refurbished
which reduces cross infection and work is now in hand to start developing
a paediatric intensive care unit.
Nonetheless, the need remains great as wards treating children with
malaria, polio and typhoid, amongst other things, continue to struggle
with inadequate equipment and insufficient drugs.
Dr John Bridson, Chairman of CAI and Honorary Country Director for India says 'The hospital is a tertiary referral centre for the sickest children from other parts of Gujarat. In some ways this makes its problems even worse. Parents travel with hope yet there is little here for them'.
A local doctor told CAI 'We have a big list of patients with diphtheria etc who are transported here without oxygen. Children arrive gasping, in immediate need of resuscitation and ventilation support, sometimes after journeys of 6 - 8 hours, and we cannot help them. We need better resuscitation facilities, monitoring equipment and a special intensive care unit. This could make a lot of difference'.
High dependency care in India
Dr Kathy Pearl, CAI’s Honorary Country Director for India returned from a visit in December 2003 with plans to provide a high dependency ward for children at Ahmedabad Hospital.
Following the 2001 earthquake, CAI sent emergency aid to the region and refurbished two children’s wards. The high dependency ward has now been rebuilt but is just an empty shell.
Children needing intensive care cannot get this unless their parents are able to pay for private hospital treatment.
