No Poverty
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INTRODUCTION:
More than 10 % of the global population lives in
extreme poverty today; they struggle to fulfil the
most basic needs like health needs, educational
desires, and access to healthy water, sanitation,
and clothing. Most people living on less than the
minimum daily financial needs are common in
rural areas. Worldwide, the poverty rate in rural
areas is 17.2 %—more than three times higher
than in urban areas. One child amongst five lives
in extreme poverty. Ensuring social protection for
all children, especially girls and other vulnerable
groups, is critical to reducing poverty. It shows
up as starvation and malnutrition, restricted
access to healthcare and other necessities.
Hope against hope:
Alleviating poverty during and after the
COVID-19 crisis has been a significant concern
worldwide. Nitte (DU) strives hard to combat
poverty by providing funds, food, and free
medical assistance to people below the poverty
line. They have successfully provided
- Free and charitable medical assistance for the patients in the general ward category
- Free consultations by physicians of all the specialities
- Free lab tests and medications. Nitte has also provided exceptional health infrastructure through charitable services to the people living in extreme poverty, especially in rural areas of Dakshina Kannada and other surrounding states. It provides
- quality education to financially weak students free of cost
- special consideration has been given to girl children and initiative by Nitte (DU)
- In addition, activities to uplift the poorer society through generous measures by providing clothing, food, and financial support have been continuing in a humanitarian manner
I: Philanthropic and humanitarian services 2021
Danta Bhagya Yojana 2021
A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences enters the Limca Book of Records 2021 for conducting a free denture camp in Coimbatore : Danta Bhagya Yojana 2021 in the year 2020. B Shetty A Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences of enters the Limca Book of B Shetty Memorial Institute Dental Sciences, 021 for conducting a free denture camp in Coimbatore in the year 2020. Nitte (DU), Sindhi Youth Forum Charitable Trust, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and RVS Dental college entered Limca Book of Records 2020–2022 for a maximum number of complete Denture prepared and delivered in a single day. The event was called “Gift a Smile” and was held at Coimbatore, where 149 completely edentulous needy patients with no teeth were treated and were given complete Denture full teeth set in a single day free of cost. A team of 248 members consisting of 53 Doctors, 160 Interns, 35 technicians, Para medicals, and electricians participated in the event. Prof. (Dr.) U.S. Krishna Nayak, Principal & Dean, and Prof. (Dr.) N. Sridhar Shetty, Founder and Dean of A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, also attended the event. The camp was headed by Prof.(Dr.) Chethan Hegde, Head, Department of Prosthodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences.
II: Public Health dentistry outreach program. / Free Dental check-up & Treatment camps: 2021
The Department of Public Health Dentistry conducted various dental check-up camps and free treatment camps in 31 rural areas of Records Dakshina Kannada, where 3497 needy people were provided with free dental treatments.
III. Karunya- World Physiotherapy Day
On account of World Physiotherapy Day on Sept 8 2021, the Karunya unit of NIPT, a voluntary unit that runs on the contribution of the teaching faculty of Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy, donated grocery kits to daily wage earners and their families during the pandemic.
IV. Report on Karunya Donation
Karunya’- a helping hand for the disabled - a voluntary unit which runs on the contribution of the teaching faculty of Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy donated a Walker to a 62-year- old female patient admitted in the general ward of Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital, who underwent total knee replacement surgery.
V. COVID Package rate
The multispeciality Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital offered a Covid inpatient package at affordable rates. The inpatient package was 50-60% less than the government-approved package.
VI. Clothing Drive
Nitte Institute of Physiotherapy organized a ‘Clothing Drive’ on Nov 13 2021, on the occasion of National Recycling Week, the theme for the year being ‘Recovery - a future beyond the Bin’. The event’s Coordinators collected well- maintained, second-hand clothes from staff and students. They were then rechecked, packed in a carton, and donated to Snehalaya Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre, Manjeshwar. Faculty of the college Ms Shilna Rani, Dr Saumya Srivastava, Mr Krishnaprasad, and Ms Aishwarya Nair were present for the donation
VII: Ophthalmic camp
The Department of Child Health Nursing, Nitte Usha Institute of Nursing Sciences hosted an Ophthalmic camp as a part of a community outreach program at Sri Ramakrishna Aided High School, Harekala, Pavoor, on Nov 15 2021. A total of 156 students were examined for vision and ocular disorders. Fifty-six students with vision difficulties were directed to Justice K.S. Hegde Charitable Hospital for additional ocular inquiry and examination. Students, staff, and faculty of the Child Health Nursing department, NUINS, donated an amount of Rs.5000 to the Children’s Benevolent Fund of the school. The ophthalmic screening camp was carried out professionally and was appreciated by the school authorities.
VIII: World Disability Day
Nitte Special Child Care Center (N-SPECC), in collaboration with Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, Department of ENT, KS Hegde Medical Academy, and Nitte Institute of Speech & Hearing (NISH), observed “World Disability Day” on Dec 3 2021. Faculty and students of the Department of ENT, KSHEMA, and NISH performed a skit on disabilities that are invisible and hence ignored. Aids and appliances were distributed to special children.
Scholarships for students from NAMASTE states
Nitte - NAMASTE Scholarship Program was launched to provide scholarships to deserving but economically backward students, especially women students from the North-Eastern states of India. The north-eastern region of India is traditionally underrepresented in Higher Education Institutions across India. This scholarship initiative was introduced in support of the Government of India’s scheme named “Ishan Uday” for supporting students of north- east states. In 2021, 4 students were awarded scholarships with a full tuition fee waiver totalling Rs. 4,27,000.
The ‘Nobody Left Behind’
The ‘Nobody Left Behind’ initiative by the Nitte Institute of Architecture was inaugurated on Oct 11 2021. While NIA provides a conducive learning environment through lectures, seminars, workshops, and fieldwork, it seeks to provide an additional support system based on its foundational principle, where nobody gets left behind. This new support system provides intensive coaching to deserving students for weekly coursework. A dedicated set of tutors will especially handle it. Progress will be monitored so that any additional support can be provided whenever necessary. This initiative will help students shine academically and foster independent thinking, critical reasoning, and self-confidence.
A talk on ‘Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development: The role of NGOs’
A sustainable development goal lecture on ‘Poverty alleviation and sustainable development: Role of NGOs’ was organized by AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences in association with the Staff development centre, Nitte DU, on Dec 23 2021. Prof. Dr Smitha Hegde gave opening remarks. Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr MS Moodithaya was the guest of honour. The resource person was Dr Jayavantha Nayak, Associate Professor, Department of PG studies in Economics, University College, Mangalore. He touched on the subject of NGOs, also creating awareness regarding the same. The moderators for the program were Dr Ganaraj Shetty and Dr Teena Dsouza, lecturers at AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences. This online event had 101 registered participants
PUBLICATIONS:
1. Jacob AM, Pruthvish S, Sastry NB, Kunnavil R, Shankarappa M, Shetty AK. A comparison of nutritional status between children with and without disabilities: A community- based study. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. 2021 Feb;10(2):941.
2. Rohit A, Rajasekaran S, Shenoy S, Rai S, Iddya K, Dorairajan SK. Reprocessing of N95 masks: Experience from a resource- limited setting in India. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2021 Mar 1;104:41-4.
3. Alva AB, Hegde R. Assessment of various domains in quality of life of the rural elderly population of Karnataka. Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition 2021