Hi, my name is Sidhu Yadati, and I'm a 4th year Imperial College Medical Student. In partnership with Sapthagiri Hospitals, Bengaluru, and Abhinav Eye Care, Hydrebad, I have initiated the SGGS initiative, aiming to establish a medical camp in the village of Palugurallapalle, Andhra Pradesh, India, by December 2024. This initiative has the aim of helping farmers, women, children, and people from impoverished backgrounds with eye and general healthcare. The SGGS Trust, a charitable organisation serving Sanatana Dharma for 250 years, will spearhead this initiative. Our website lists the trust's various aims, but the most significant one is its establishment as a pillar of support for those most in need, irrespective of caste, religion, gender, or political ideology.

Our camp will aim to practice the idea of preventative medicine. Breaking the cycle of poverty can be extremely challenging, and a big burden on this is healthcare. The reason more developed nations have higher quality of life and life expectancy is not due to advanced medical treatment and/or facilities, but rather to the concept that preventing serious health issues early on significantly reduces the physical and financial burden on patients compared to treating complications later. Simple measures such as diabetic foot checks or blood pressure checks significantly alleviate financial burdens on patients, yet the most vulnerable groups in India lack access to these types of screening programs. A 2009 study found that for every additional risk factor for treating metabolic syndrome (a term that refers to a long list of common diseases, such as diabetes), there is a 24% increase in the annual healthcare cost for the patient. We will strive to identify these issues at an early stage in our camp to alleviate the strain on our farmers, who are the backbone of our community. Without looking after them, we simply would not have enough to eat!

Secondly, we will be supporting children with their eyesight in the local schools. Visual impairment (VI) and blindness in children were identified as key issues in the VISION 2020 scheme by the WHO, and in a nearby district to where we are targeting (Krishna District), a recent study in 2022 found that 73.64% of VI cases in children were due to reversible causes that could've been detected early. Testing children for their eyesight is crucial, as visual impairment (VI) can significantly impact their development, opportunities, quality of life, and financial burden on their families. This, in turn, can make it difficult for children from lower economic backgrounds to break the cycle of poverty in the next generation.

Finally, the safety of women is also a priority, especially after recent events in India. I believe our education system holds the key to solving this issue. Many states, including Maharastra and Gujurat, have banned sex education, and failing to address sensitive issues like consent has impeded the development of adolescents transitioning into adulthood. A study revealed that 66% of teachers believed they lacked the necessary skills to teach students these crucial interpersonal skills, a sentiment that has significantly influenced the culture. Programs like the 2006 Udaan education scheme have demonstrated the significant benefits of integrating these issues into our curriculum, equipping our boys with the necessary skills to ensure the safety of women. We will be running a women's health and well-being workshop in the local schools this December as part of our camp to teach these interpersonal skills to our boys, with the aim of expanding it to other areas in the future.

How can you help, then?

Donate: Your donations will be going towards sponsoring treatment and medications for these patients. A donation of just £5 (which is the price of your morning coffee at Starbucks) can help sponsor lenses for a child for life, and a donation of £10 can help a farmer with his statin medication for two years! You would be significantly impacting the lives of those in need and contributing to a worthy cause.

Volunteer: Please get in contact with us (either through me on social media or visit our website) to find out about volunteering opportunities. I will be organising an event to recruit Imperial College medical students for this camp on the 25th of September, so please stay tuned on my social media for more details.

Promote our cause: Even if you are not able to donate, sharing our story and message with others will be a massive help as well.

Please see the pictures attached of our previous activities and visit our website for more information. You can also find my social media accounts and contact details linked, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Contact-

Website link

Socials-

@therealsidhu (Instagram)

@therealsidhu09 (X/Twitter)