CRS supports community health centres and projects across Kolkata. CRS provides the doctors’ salaries and medicines while the local partner organisation is responsible for providing premises for holding clinics and health training.
Children’s health
Doctors give fortnightly check-ups to children attending CRS education centres, including growth-monitoring. Students at the training centre for differently-abled persons are also given health checks.
Community clinics
Doctors offer clinic hours for all members of the community and can dispense basic medicines.
Nutrition
Many of the children who attend the CRS education centres are unable to receive the nutrition they need at home. CRS is able to provide a healthy meal, recommended by a professional dietician, giving them the energy to learn and the nutrients to grow.
In addition, food packages are delivered to those taking part in the women’s empowerment initiatives and other CRS projects, to take home to their family.
Health camps
Day-long camps offer free care to a whole community, such as dental check-ups and eye testing.
Screening
Periodic screening programmes are carried out for a range of health concerns from cataracts to cancer, with support for treatment as needed.
Referrals
Health teams are able to make referrals to specialist doctors or clinics for people with disabilities such as blindness or polio.
Awareness-raising
CRS organises health visitors to deliver sessions on health and sanitation, such as the importance of hand-washing, good nutrition, spotting signs of tuberculosis and cancer awareness. Many of these are done as part of the CRS education programme and CRS women’s empowerment programme.
Blood donation
CRS often organises blood donation drives in association with local organisations.
Mental health
Many of the children in CRS education centres have witnessed alcoholism or drug use at home, and some have mothers who work in prostitution. Many have experienced abuse and neglect. CRS enables such children to receive counselling from mental health professionals, and has also given training to teachers so that they can offer basic counselling support too.
The CRS health programme has made a tremendous difference in countless lives by diagnosing and treating illness, alleviating pain and reducing the incidence of disease. Your support can help many more people to improve their health and wellbeing.