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The Silver Jubilee (1993-2018) of the Community Health Training Centre, Mugalur

The Community Health Training Centre (CHTC), Mugalur is the Rural Health Training Centre of St. John’s Medical College. The CHTC, Mugalur also serves as the rural outreach centre of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences through which the institution strives to reach the unreached. The CHTC was started on the 8^th July 1993 and this year is its Silver Jubilee (1993-2018). To commemorate this occasion, the institution and the Department of Community Health organised a series of health programs at Mugalur beginning from January to May 2018.

The “run-up” to the Silver Jubilee began with celebration of the “International Day for Persons with Disability” on 31^st January 2018. The program was attended by dignitaries from the institution, faculty from the Departments of Community Health, ENT, Ophthalmology, Unit of Hope and College of Nursing, Mugalur Health Committee Members, NGO partners, Govt School Teachers, Anganwadi workers and ASHAs, members of Self Help Group of Persons with Disability and their caregivers as well as Parent Support Groups from surrounding villages and beneficiaries of Community Eye care and Community Ear Care Projects. The program included an overview of the rehabilitation services provided through Mugalur, sharing of experiences by beneficiaries, gifting of mementos by the Self Help Group members to the dignitaries, a small cultural program, guest speeches and prize distribution to the participants from among the beneficiaries of the program, who had participated in the various games that were conducted earlier.

The second in the series of the programs was a Multispecialty Clinic on the day of the monthly geriatric clinic at Mugalur on 27^th February 2018 where a total of 291 patients sought care. The geriatric team from the Department of Community Health was the pivot to this mega clinic, which also included participation from other departments of St. John’s Medical College Hospital: Orthopaedics, Dermatology, GyneOncology, Chest Medicine, Urology, Surgery, Physiotherapy and Ophthalmology. Student volunteers from St. John’s College of Nursing lent their participation and support to this event.

The third program was the celebration of “Women’s Health and Development Services” on 22^nd March 2018. This was attended by members of Mahila Mandals, Self-Health Groups and Women’s Federation, dignitaries from the institution and beneficiaries of the women’s health and development programs. The program included presentation of the report of the developmental activities for women, distribution of certificates to the trainees who have completed tailoring course, a dance performance by the community health workers, skit on women’s empowerment, felicitation of the guests and prize distribution. Three needy and deserving female members from the community were presented with financial assistance from the Women’s Federation. 

A combined chronic disease clinic was held for patients with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, mental illness and retinal problems on the 4^th of May 2018.  A total of 154 attended this camp. This camp was exclusively for patients with known or suspected chronic disease. After registration all the patients were screened for mental illness, diabetes and hypertension followed by specialist care. This was a unique chronic diseases clinic in which psychiatric problems too were addressed.

A grand finale is planned for 21^st of July 2018 with a public function in the presence of executives of the St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences lead by our beloved Director Rev. Dr. Paul Parathazham. The senior management representatives, Deans and Vice Deans and the institution’s faculty and representatives from the government and the project partners/funders of various health services rendered through CHTC, Mugalur and leaders from the local rural community and members of the women’s group federation among others are expected to grace the occasion.