The medical camp organized by Google.org grantee Ratna Nidhi trust along with ACC Trust, MZ & KZ Shah Foundation (UK) and Hope4Smile Foundation (UK) in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra drew to a close yesterday.
The BETiC (Biomedical Engineering Technology and incubation Center) healthcare innovators pitched in with five types of medical devices developed at IIT Bombay, for screening various conditions among the local population attending the camp.
1. Diabetic foot screener, a device that enables to screen and prevent long term ulceration and amputation was used to screen over 70 diabetic patients and 40 screened for neuropathy.Sharing the experience, Nishanth Kathpal, founder, Ayati’s diabetic foot screener affirms, “We are really thankful to Ratna Nidhi and ACC for organizing the camp as it benefits the really needy ones who may not get a chance to do the whole-body check-up due to lack of resources available or monetary issue.”
2. Ayulink Smart stethoscope, a device that allows to record and send heart and lung data from rural patients to urban doctors to get correct diagnosis, was used for screening over 2000+ patients. Tapas Pandey, founder, Ayulink devices says, “This camp gave all of us (healthcare innovators) an opportunity to analyze our products in real environment.”
3. ECG using phono-cardiograph: 101 people with cardiac conditions benefited from the BETiC ECG patch, a diagnostic tool used for screening device for high-fidelity recording of heart sounds through phono-cardiograph.
4. Glaucoma, a medical device used to detect high levels of intraocular pressure which eventually drops the progressive loss of vision was used to screen 203 glaucoma sufferers.
5. Ratna Nidhi leg: Around 16 affordable prosthetic legs designed with specificity and comfort for amputees and landmine victims, were delivered to the ones who required mobility aid. Gaurav Parit and Lalit Amrut Sagar of the BETiC team said, “the camp was able to reach a good number of rural people in Chandrapur.”
Out of the many thousands that visited, about 3000 benefited from BETiC’s products. About 16 prosthetics, calipers and crutches were distributed. About 250 free cataract surgeries were carried out, courtesy of Vision Foundation of India, and 10,000 prescription eye-glasses were provided, sponsored by Essilor. High quality goggles were given away to 350 senior citizens. Other initiatives included dental care treatments for 2000 patients, consulting and dispensing of medicines to 3500 pediatric patients, physiotherapy was provided for 1500 patients, 900 belts and collars were distributed to needy patients. Breast cancer diagnosis (pap spear test) was carried out for 1500 women, followed by free treatment for those diagnosed. All incoming people were tested for blood pressure, and over 15000 people were tested for blood sugar. The Ratna Nidhi Trust distributed 15000 -10,000 units of garments.
Dr. Rupesh Ghyar of BETiC says, “Our team in IIT Bombay has developed several novel medical devices in close collaboration with top doctors, followed by rigorous testing, patent filing and licensing to industry. We are working closely with Ratna Nidhi Trust to take the prosthetic leg and other devices to even remote corners of the country, to benefit the local population.”
A four-year-old who had never walked was fitted with calipers. His parents had happy tears on witnessing the scene.
About BETiC: The Biomedical Engineering and Technology (incubation) Centre is located at IIT Bombay, with satellite centers in six engineering colleges and seven medical institutes across Maharashtra. The initiative is envisioned and supported by S&T Council of Maharashtra Government and DST, New Delhi, to accelerate indigenous development of affordable medical devices suitable for local manufacture and use. In the last five years, the BETiC team developed and filed patents for over 50 devices, and licensed 20 of them to start-up companies or industry partners.
To know more, visit – http://betic.in/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/beticIITB/
About Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust: Ratna Nidhi is a registered charity that visions to tackle the problems of poverty in Mumbai, especially amongst young children. Their projects cover a wide range of activities for the underprivileged strata of society, both in India and other developing countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, Kenya and Burundi. Eminent personalities like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Udit Raj and Shri Ratan Tata have supported their work. Ratna Nidhi is one of the largest donors of orthotics and prosthetics in the world. In India alone, they have distributed over 2.48 lac mobility aids. They have distributed 23 million free meals as part of their mid-day meals in Mumbai every morning- over the last 15 years. The trust was selected by Google for its Impact Challenge for Disabilities Award to further technology in helping limb amputees.
