Joe and Lotte at the Sambhavna clinic in Bhopal, India - Blog number 3

We’ve had such a full week its hard to know where to begin.

The best thing I think we’ve done is getting a real idea about just how integrative the care is here, a world away from the definition of “GP” or primary care as we know in England.

Here the patient’s whole body, mindset and wellness are all equally considered in their health. Importantly, the different specialists have a deep respect for each others work and professionalism. For example; the Allopathic doctor (practicing medicine we would recognise in England) not simply prescribed pain relief for his patient, who was complaining of persistent joint pain, but referred her for Ayuvedic, Panchakarma and yoga treatment. He described with enthusiasm the benefit he had seen with Ayuvedic medication for joint pain.

Additionally we found out that Yoga wasn’t simply advised, but provided for within the clinic. There is a beautiful spacious room, where Ms Depa devises a Yoga regime for individual complaints. Back pain is quite a different sequence from obesity, and different again to emotional disturbance for example.

This kind of care seems so liberating, the yoga can be practiced at home so the patient can build up a way of dealing with their health problems. As well as physically benefiting from the yoga; meditation, and a calming breathing technique are used to allow the patients to feel balanced in themselves, and able to face the problems they may have. We noticed the yoga and the Panchakarma professionals also particularly focus on the patient’s general life; their everyday problems and stresses this allowed for expression of any mental health problems they may be suffering.

The Panchakarma itself was a real experience to observe and practice too! Biju draws back his curtain to reveal the most beautiful carved bed or table made from a dark smooth wood brought all the way from Kerala in South India. A silver bowl with a small hole in the centre hangs from a another beautifully carved wooden stand at one end on the table. The whole room is full of the most invigorating and mysterious smells coming from a steamer at the far end of the room. We wondered how this was all going to come together as a treatment…

The first patient to enter was a rikshaw driver, it was not hard to understand why he would have shoulder and back pain judging the mad roads in Bhopal; a place with barely a traffic light in sight and where driving on both sides of the road is perfectly normal! Biju striped him down to the trousers and brought out an oil with over 28 different herbs and essences in it.

Many of the plants contributing to the concoction were grown Sambhavna’s herb garden, some were recognizable – try Ginger and Mustard seed for back pain at home. The oil was rubbed into his shoulder and back with an expert forceful massage which followed the contours of the muscles, concentrating on tension areas. The range of movement of the shoulder was also worked on and we were impressed to see a 30 degree angle improvement after the one session! Following the massage steam (also containing a mix of the medicinal herbs) was applied to the area. The whole process took about 25 minutes and was the first in a 7 day course. after this he would be reassess in 14 days – an amazing service! It is worth noting that Mr Biju is also a trained chiropractor, and is trained in Ayuvedic medcine; Panchakarma being a more physical treatment of Ayuvedic medicine.

The validity of this kind of care is evident, and it was interesting to see that all of the doctors we have interviewed said that one of the very best things about Sambhavna was this kind of complete person care. Dr Mohammad Ali Qaisar explained to us why this was so important for the specific population at Sambhavna.

As you probably know Sambhavna is set up directly for the victims of the Gas leak from the Union Carbide plant, or those affected by the toxic waste and water still infecting the area. The toxins affect every part of the human body, so it is important to provide care that accounts for this. Dr Mohammad Ali Qaisar tragically really is the expert on this as he himself a victim of the disaster. It was the suffering he saw in his family and across Bhopal that inspired him to become a doctor. He chose to work at Sambhavna as he saw how the care provided here gave the victims treatment for the whole body. There is no drug to take away the damage done by the toxins, so this intregrative care is the best way to deal with the health issues rife in the population.

Another wonderful thing we’ve seen this week has been the Chingari Trust. This charity was set up by the mothers of children affected by Union Carbide toxins, women who themselves suffer from the long term effects, and some of whom lost their husbands in the disaster in 1984. Their resolution is incredible; to pick up the ashes and create a wonderfully positive place for these children, children who otherwise could be considered worthless; kept in one room due to humiliation and disgrace on the families.

The trust has 3 pick up vans which collect the children from the local area and brings them to the rented building for physiotherapy, speech therapy, education, play, song and fun! The energy and spirit of the children is so wonderful to see. There are physically disabled children – disabilities due to cerebral palsy and congenital defects for example, who will help out with the mentally disabled children who find it harder to understand what to do and to learn. One wonderfully smiley 12 year old chap, who was unable to walk introduced us to about 10 of his good friends – all in clear English!

All the children – and there are 300 registered at Chingari, have been born to mothers who drank toxic water, or were affected by the gas leak. The logistics of conducting a study to prove that the toxic chemicals has caused these problems are difficult and as yet one has not been published, which is why DOW chemicals continue to claim that their toxins do not contribute to these problems. This is thankfully soon to change! A huge study of 34,000 people – 21,000 families is currently being conducted from the research base in Sambhavna. There are 3 groups which are assessed for birth defect, miscarriages, among other thing. The groups include; an unaffecteded 7,000 families as a control, an group affected by gas contamination, and a group affected by water contamination. Hopefully with these results to truth of the situation can be uncovered.

The work done at Chingari is so important in the lives of these children. For many it will mean the different from a life of dependence, humiliation and isolation, and one where they can strive for a way of life they would like to lead. The physiotherapy for example has improved the strength and co-ordination of the muscles in a 10 year old boy so much he can now walk, something his parents were told he could never do. Others excel in speech and writing, also things previously considered to be beyond their capabilities.

We hope to return to Chinagari at least once a week to help with play and learning. It is defiantly a place we have both been inspired and moved by and hopefully somewhere where we can create a formal link with our University (Liverpool) so the University can provide ongoing support and students can learn from the approach show there.

Ok well the Monsoons have begun HorAYYY! so were off to dance in the torrents of rain to cool off – its still so hot!

Hope you like the pictures; some of children at Chingari. Oh and the beautiful Mosque we stumbled across today, such stunning architecture and the boys being taught there all insisted on having their picture taken, we were only to happy to oblige!

Lotte and Joe