Himalayan Hospital welcomes guests representing ‘Cambridge Global Health Partnerships’
Cambridge based development network, the ‘Centre for Global Equality’ is now focused in India, particularly Uttarakhand, thanks to its connect with Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) and significant others.
HIMS hosted special guests from 10th to 12th July 2023, who visited the campus of Himalayan Hospital and Swami Rama Himalayan University. The guests included members representing ‘Cambridge Global Health Partnerships’, part of ‘Cambridge University Hospitals’ that works in close tandem with the ‘Centre for Global Equality.’
They visited Himalayan Hospital and SRHU, where they were taken on a guided tour of the campus. Later the VC Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dr Rajendra Dobhal, DG Academics Dr Vijendra Chauhan and Dr Sunil Saini felicitated them. Up for discussion were issues relating to education and nutrition to improve the lives of the economically marginalized communities in India.
Members of ‘Divya Prem Sewa Mission’, ‘Ganga Prem Hospice’ - ‘Rama Foundation’ (a UK registered charity) too were in attendance.
Together this visit has immense potential to build the capacities and the skills of socially and economically challenged communities in India. This network is all geared to serve the disadvantaged communities so that they are better able to participate equitably in society.
Several cohorts of volunteers have volunteered their time and expertise and unlocked multiple benefits for the most disadvantaged communities in the world.
Guided by recommendations from our volunteers during similar such visits, several supportive initiatives have been launched in Uttarakhand. For example, the initiative has been fortifying the diets of up to 300 children in schools in Rishikesh with a daily glass of milk and providing food parcels for families of cancer patients from disadvantaged backgrounds.
During the Covid 19 pandemic, due to restrictions on travel, support was provided through a series of webinars which were accessed by over 300 healthcare professionals in India. In 2022, the visits were restarted and now more trips have been planned for 2023 onwards.
Amongst the top priorities for the coming years is the setting up of a regular women’s health clinic for those who don’t have access to medical support.
Chancellor Swami Rama Himalayan University stated that, “The joining of these amazing forces is pledging exceptional work. We are very keen to focus on gynecological aspects of health, and the logistics for the same need our immediate attention. Space, medical equipment and medical resources must be garnered posthaste.” Amongst the team members were: Artika Datta, a committed Dietitian with over 16 years of experience working in the UK National Health Service (NHS) in Oncology, home enteral feeding, MND and other chronic neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and Stroke. Lucy Hughes-Stanton, Physiotherapist, Cambridge University Hospitals. Paula Mccusker, a HCPC registered Dietitian with passion for building nutrition knowledge in communities, using evidence- based practice. Rachael Mullan, HCPC registered Dietitian with a range of in patient and out-patient experience, currently specialising in Head and Neck oncology.
