Rotary Kalpetta provides dialysis machines
Kalpetta is a small town located on the hills of Wayanad in Kerala. It is populated with a fairly large number of tribals and backward people. The Shanthi Pain and Palliative Care facility located in this town provides free dialysis service to the poor with its seven dialysis machines. When the facility needed more dialysis machines to serve the large population, its management turned to RC Kalpetta, RI District 3204, with whom it has been associated for several service projects.
The club went in for a global grant for ₹20.16 lakh, along with Rotary Club Riberao Preto Jardim from Brazil, and provided three dialysis machines, under what was called the Happy Bean project. In addition, the club also provided 30 KVA UPS units, costing ₹2.93 lakh, for backing up power supply to ensure that there was a smooth and uninterrupted dialysis process. A water purifier to provide safe potable water to the dialysis patients and two television sets were also gifted to this centre.
While the project was initiated last year during Dr Rajesh Subash’s governorship, it was recently inaugurated by the present DG Pramod Nayanar. DRFC Dr Padmanabhan and Project Coordinator Jose Mathew were also present.
Explaining the enigmatic title ‘Happy Bean’, Dr Subash said that “the kidney is a bean-shaped organ and when dialysis is done, it takes the load off the kidneys and makes them happy, hence the title ‘Happy Bean’!”
He added that the additional three dialysis machines can help with dialysis on six more patients every day totally free of cost. “If we put the cost of each dialysis at ₹1,000, every month this centre will be providing service worth ₹1.5 lakh to needy patients,” he added.
