Varanasi – India (Mission 5)

Mission Varanasi in India – January 23 to February 02, 2008

The fifth successful mission of Arpan Global Charities was held at in Varanasi in UP, India from January 27 to February 02, 2008. The team consist of 23 volunteers from USA including 3 nurses, an acupuncturist, a pediatric resident, a pediatric chief resident, 2 pediatricians, one CT surgeon, one in gynecologist, one neurosurgeon, one gastroenterologist, one radiologist, one family Physician, one teacher and six non-medical volunteers. Many local volunteers from Varanasi and New Delhi also participated to make this mission a success.

After the India’s Republic day celebration at Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University on January 26, 2008, the team members started their activities in their respective specialties on January 27. Over 800 patients were seen during this mission. Eight neurosurgical, 7 cardiothoracic, many gyenecological and gastroenterological procedures were performed. With the help Dr. Indu Singh, the director of Apollo clinic in Varanasi, our team participated in a health camp in a rural area at Durgawati Inter College in Illia. Dr. MR Pathak, the chief administrative officer at Institute of Medical Sciences at BHU arranged another rural health camp at Pasasi Kalan. In addition to the patient care and surgical procedures, our team members delivered eight lectures to the local faculty and nursing staff. There was a very productive interaction and exchange of information and knowledge between our team members and the members of local BHU faculty. Few of our team members donated cash to buy medications for the poor patients in the health camp as well as to help few poor in-patients for the admission to the hospital and for different tests and treatment.

Dr. Gajendra Singh, the director of Institute of Medical Sciences at Banaras Hindu University, Dr. VK Shukla, the medical superintendent, and Dr. MR Pathak, the chief administrative officer, from BHU were most instrumental to make this mission a great success. The hospitality of Mr. Rai Ajai Kumar and his wife Sunita Kumar was out of this world. They hosted many dinners for the team members at their family home in Varanasi.

After the completion of the mission at Varanasi, our team had the opportunity to visit the famous temples in Khajuraho and of course one of the 8 wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal.