Most of you will have heard about Manipur recently for all the wrong reasons. However last year a team from Christian Dental College Ludhiana ran a very successful dental camp in Phuba (Phyabu) 3000 kms from Ludhiana. The camp was organised by Dr Kapil Sanghi, alumnus of the college, now based in England. Dr Abi M. Thomas Principal, Christian Dental College and Dr Vivek Gupta Head of Department of Public Health Dentistry were the facilitators. Dr Yogaen Vohra, Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Surgery and Dr Richard Gill, Demonstrator, Department of Public Health Dentistry went to the camp. A student from CDC Ludhiana – Jema Ningshen whose home is in Manipur joined them
Dr Savita Duomai along with her husband Jeremiah Duomai and two children moved back to his village in Phuba Thapham a few years ago. Dr Savita helps provide primary health care in Phuba and the surrounding villages. It was noticed that one of the areas of need was in relation to dental care. The closest reliable provision of dental care was about 3 ½ hours away. This would involve travelling on hilly mud tracks for most of the distance and would be quite expensive for the patient. As a consequence people would often be in desperate need for dental treatment but have no choice but to just live with the problem. Dr Duomai reached out to CDC Ludhiana to see if there was anyway they could help, and the decision was made to organise this first dental camp. It was a huge success with many patients being treated, and was much appreciated by the local community. It is hoped that it will be possible to organise similar camps in the future.
The cost of the camp was covered by CMC Ludhiana who also donated a small portable dental unit they have left in the area to be used in future camps. The camps are part of CMC’s rural outreach initiatives to reach patients who have no access to treatment elsewhere, and have no money to pay for their treatment. If you would like to help CMC treat patients too poor to pay, please will you donate to our Good Samaritan fund? The easiest way to do this is on line at: https://www.friendsofludhiana.org.uk/get-involved/make-a-donation/
One reply on “Dental Camp”
Wonderful news indeed. And how grateful we should be that such treatment has been extended to people who’d otherwise put up with pain, etc. We who worry about the loss of dentistry on the NHS really don’t know the half!