Health unit

Four bright young medicos are raring to go at the Lady Hirabai Cowasjee Jehangir Health Unit at Bombay’s Gamadia Colony. The Unit’s administrator Arnavaz Khan hosted a special meet on January 24, 2002 to introduce dental surgeon and consultant periodontist Dr Tanaz Boyce Mirza, ENT surgeon Dr Vikram Jaisinghani, derma­tologist Dr S. P. Sirur and consultant ophthalmic surgeon Dr Cyres Mehta to the Parsi Press.

Also meeting the doctors and the Press was Jasmin Jehangir. Khan hoped to involve Jehangir in the admin­istration of the Health Unit founded by her grand­mother-in-law, the redoubtable former Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) chairperson Lady Hirabai Jehangir.

The 53-year-old institution located at Tardeo caters to the community, ranging from the middle class to the down-and-out, at costs ranging from 75 to zero percent of what would be payable elsewhere, emphasized Khan.

The addition of the four young doctors to a sub­stantial existing team led by cardiologist Dr Dinyar Gamadia aims at reopening departments like ophthalmic and ENT surgery which had been discontinued some time ago, Khan noted. With a donation in hand she is hoping to reprovide the facility to the community once an elevator is installed to service the adjoining Khan Hospital (also known as the Cottage Hospital) where a contingent of about six nurses and as many ayahs and ward boys care for a maximum 31 patients at a time.

Mehta, who returned from the US in mid 2001 after acquiring professional fellowships in phacoemulsifica­tion cataract surgery, advanced non-invasive glaucoma surgery and refractive surgery, referred to India as the home of cataract and glaucoma blindness because of its huge population and insufficient eye-care facili­ties. The high incidence of diabetes among Parsis especially impacts the eyes, he noted. Declaring the results of average cataract surgery as "quite bad,” Mehta suggested the induction of a phaco machine whose price now ranges between six and eight lakh rupees but is cost effective in the long run as it requires less anesthesia and aftercare and the patient "can go back to work fast.” Until then he seemed willing to bring his own mobile unit when required.

Sirur, who sees mainly bacterial infections, warts and boils among his patients at the Health Unit, sug­gested the addition of a cautering machine and a biopsy punch graph in the operation theater.

Boyce Mirza, who specializes in gums and gum diseases, notices teeth which are "mobile” because of bone loss. She described her technique as "putting in bone graphs with surgery.” It would require an ultra­violet ray curing light which, along with its composite material, would mean an outlay of Rs 25,000 and may not be needed at the Unit just yet. The Unit is "decently equipped” for normal extractions and fillings, she says, emphasizing its very high level of sterilization. Full-mouth scaling is also on offer at the Unit and Boyce Mirza is pained that younger members of the community do not avail of these benefits, preferring to patronize private practice instead.

As the age group that has been frequenting the Health Unit is 50+ Jaisinghani has largely been seeing hearing disorders and a need for hearing aids. He suggested that the BPP, which runs the Health Unit, should evolve a procedure to provide these gadgets. He also suggested that when investing in a microscope for ophthalmic use it might be possible to find a model which is also compatible with ear surgery.

Noting that the Health Unit’s resources were more restricted than that of the B. D. Petit Parsee General or Masina Hospitals, Gamadia suggested "we could look into instrumentation in future.” He also wanted to avoid surgical procedures "because (we are) not ade­quately equipped for high anti-sepsis requirements.” He referred to the need for funds when "in a fair number of cases people feel they should be treated free.”

Boyce Mirza and Jaisinghani felt the need to counter two misconceptions in the community: that the Health Unit is a facility only for the aged and that charitable institutions (like this one) do not offer quality health care: "The level of sterilization is very good. We use only disposable syringes and needles,” she affirmed. The current charge of Rs 10 per year for a case paper was considered totally inadequate and reinforced the popular myth of professional inade­quacy, they maintained. "We are willing to work; we are sad when there are no patients,” noted Boyce Mirza.

The Health Unit, which also offers pediatrics, gynecology, orthopedics and physiotherapy, runs a free milk and nourishment scheme as well as a fund for providing expensive medicines to impoverished patients, welcomes donations from the community. Cheques favoring the Lady Jehangir Health Unit may be addressed to the institution specifying the end use for the contribu­tion.

Medical services available at the Health Unit:

•Cardiology: Gamadia on Tuesdays at 11 a.m.; Dr Vidya Doshi on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 4.30 p.m.

•Dentistry: Orthodontist Dr S. M. Javeri one Wednesday a month at 1 p.m.; Dr S. Divecha on Tuesdays at 2 p.m.; Boyce Mirza on Thursdays at 1 p.m.

•Dermatology: Sirur on Thursdays at 9 a.m.

•ENT: Jaisinghani on Wednesdays at 9 a.m.

•Gynecology: Dr D. S. Dalal on Wednesdays at 4.30 p.m.

•Homeopathy: Dr D. D. Gamadia, first and third Mondays at 10 a.m.

•Medical: Dr M. A. Nalladaru, Monday to Friday at 9 a.m.

•Ophthalmic: Dr R. J. Patel on Fridays at 10 a.m.; Dr H. H. Vakil on Mondays at 10.30 a.m.; Mehta on Thursdays at 10 a.m.

•Orthopedics: Dr V. H. Jokhi on Fridays at 12.30 p.m.

•Pediatrics: Dr S. H. Mullan on Saturdays at 10 a.m.

•Physician and acupuncture: Dr S. Kothari, Monday to Friday at 1.30 p.m.

•Physiotherapy: Dr M. Z. Khatkhate on

every working day at 8 a.m.

Arnavaz S. Mama