The beginning
Every year since the year 2000 (bar one year), the author has had the privilege of serving, as a volunteer visiting dentist, in Puttaparthi.
It began as a Dental Camp carried out as one of the service items on the agenda of a United Kingdom (UK) Group visiting Prashanti Nilayam, Puttaparthi. The author worked in the Dental Department at the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Puttaparthi when the hospital had a dental department, but no regular staff to man it. As a dentist trained and working in the UK, the author had a longstanding burning wish to participate in such an event abroad and finally the dream came true.
The patients varied from local villagers (who travelled miles on buses and / or on foot to the hospital) to V.I.P.s. The treatment was (and still is) free at the point of delivery. Such a variety of patients posed immense language barriers. This was overcome by selecting members from the UK Group in such a way that they were not only assisting us as dental nurses and receptionists but they also acted as our interpreters when required. Further assistance came from many people ranging from the patients themselves and Indian volunteers, who came from all over India to do service on a rota basis. However, the most important way this barrier was overcome was using the universal languages of a smile and love for fellow men.
Apart from carrying out such treatments as emergency/pain relief treatment (for example, extraction of teeth, bursting of abscesses and providing medication), scaling and fillings (both permanent and semi-permanent), there were also opportunities to give Oral Health Promotion advice and talks, both on a one-to-one basis with patients and / or carers and to a gathering of Baba’s students. One episode that stands out was a village lady who came from miles away in the heat stating that she could not close her mouth for a long time. On examination, it was found that she had dislocated her jaw joints resulting in this locked jaw position. How that had occurred was a mystery. Following simple manipulation, the jaw was put back into its correct position. She was most grateful.
Since then, the author has had the honour of participating in Dental Camps organised by the Heart Valve Bank (HVB), which took place at various sites around Puttaparthi. An International Dentist Rota was set up in 2003 (consisting of dentists from USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand) to support and complement the staff at the Dental Department at the Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, which has grown in strength and expanded over the years.
Personal impact from this experience
It was (and still is) an eye-opening and humbling experience. Dental treatment is expensive in India and at times, can be as much as what is charged in the UK’s government service (known as the National Health Service). This is beyond the means of a vast number of the indigenous population as the final cost could be more than their monthly income if other factors are also taken into consideration, such as travelling and loss of earnings.
There were numerous occasions when our team had to break the news to patients that they had mouth cancer, which is rife in India due to paan / betal nut chewing and smoking. These patients usually present themselves at the advanced stages of this disease. The nearest hospital to Puttaparthi that manages such cases is in Bangalore. Therefore, not only do these patients have to make their own arrangements to attend this hospital, but they then have to fund the cost of this treatment (for example, pain control, operation, accommodation for relatives, cost of food whilst an in-patient etc.).
Counselling and psychiatric support is a luxury of the western world; those in the west expect these to be part and parcel of their overall rehabilitation. There is no counselling support available to offer to the cancer patients (let alone their loved ones) to deal with this bombshell news given to them when they reach their respective homes. The indigenous population has therefore developed an inner peace of “what will be, will be” when all else fails within their means, and so cope with the future in a dignified manner through their faith in God.
There was one particular case that occurred during a dental camp held by the Heart Valve Bank - an elderly couple had attended for a check-up. The husband was using a makeshift, wooden walking stick and both were very thin and frail. The wife stated that she had pain from her mouth when eating. On examination, she had the advance stages of mouth cancer, which was so extensive that the tumour was bursting out of the skin overlying her lower jaw. She was terminally ill and the end was imminent. In the UK, a system would be triggered in the National Health System for palliative care and pain control and nurses visiting the patient’s home to manage this. Furthermore, both the patient and relatives would receive counselling and emotional support.
Our team was so affected at seeing this and at the frustration of not having a similar system in that region which we were used to in the UK, that some of us had tears in our eyes. The couple, on the other hand, were very calm and dignified at hearing our diagnosis. They duly went home. Arrangements were made by the HVB to purchase palliative care medication tailored for this lady’s needs and for one of our Group members to personally hand deliver it to her at their home, which was in a remote village some distance away from Puttaparthi.
This and other service opportunities gives the author the opportunity to serve and learn methods of implementing some of Baba’s teachings, such as “Love all, Serve all” and “Work is worship, duty is God” by observing people’s and one’s own actions and reactions. On returning to the UK and upon reflection, the priorities in life were revised. The author prays for such further opportunities in the future.
- Dr Geetha Krishnamoorthy