Child Specialist: Eastern India Pioneer Dr. Prabir Bhaumik
Ultra Modern treatment Center for Children for the first time in Rural India. Innovating new heights from countryside.
Covering both Midnapores, Howrah and Hoogly, Dr. Prabir Bhaumik or to say Arogya Nursing Home for Children is doing a noble job. This Nursing Home is equipped with all the modern equipments such as travelling Incubator, Photo Therapy, Oxygenator, C- Pep, Pulse Oxymeter, Incusion Pump and many others like these which is an outstanding thing for a Center based far away from the the city boundaries. This centre is directly linked with World Vision Society for complex issues like Retinopathy of Premature patients.
Once you cross the doors of the place you will be amazed at once. Unlike nay other Hospital the environment here is unexpectedly pleasant. At the doorstep one would at once notice an aquarium whiuch is always soothing to see. Uncle teddy is always sitting there just next to the bed and yes there are many other toys as well. A concept well thought of. In the midst of all these there is this man sitting who is behind all these wonderful creations. Although its very unlikely to call it but it’s the Chamber of the doctor, Dr. Prabir Bhaumik. There is fare more to this man’s treatment than a Prescription and medicines. Children are treated with Chocolates, health drinks just to make them comfortable and make it a enjoyable experience for them. The following Interview was conducted in this very chamber which said, “ I have made this a place a bit different so that my lil’ friends feel happy rather than crying. Instead while leaving they get sad. We got ot know many amazing facts during this conversation.
Q: Its known that you are a successful doctor. But we would like to know first of all the background to this?
A: I come from a family which somehow managed a proper living. My father was a Primary School Teacher. He didn’t earn much and we were a big family. My childhood was not lke that I get what want. My mind was my only weapon which I can proudly say I used it well. However my father retired and he used to donate the whole of his pension to for the welfare of widows in our area. Thi somewhat inspired me a longway . I passed to be a Doctor and was posted at working at Jamtalla, had no electricity, After sunset A lantern was all I had to work with, a 10 Km. travel meant a days travel for me at that point of time. In short it was hardly a hospital, where medicine meant Paracetamol and Diagene or in worst case referring to City Hospital. I was disappointed as what I learned seemed all a waste. This disappointment paved the way for me to open a Child Care Nursing Home in a village.
Q: Why a village?
A: You have to know your goals at start. I was born thein a village and feel like I belong here. I like it here. I am linked to all the advances in medical science and technologies via Internet at this place itself. However I visit Kolkata every week for research work, I do it here as well. Earning is not all I live for. Whatever I own is known to all, nothing hidden.
Q: But you need to advertise your efforts? Have you got any support from the govt.?
A: I get my support from the eyes of those whom I serve. Apart from this I was honored with an award, “ Eastern India Pioneer Awared” for Child care from Association of Pediatrics. I have confronted Media as well 3-4 times. Once I saved a 700 gms. Premature baby when there were no resources available at Kolaghat. Once I even a saved a quadruplet here and the whole country was astonished. To add they are now going to school and are healthy as normal child, all four of them.
Q: How was all this possible at a place like Kolaghat when the equipments are so sophisticated and expensive to maintain?
A: Treatment costs depend on three points: i) Infrastructure II) Get up iii) Service. You have seen my Nursing Home and its hard to rate it at 3 on a scale of 1 to `10. I don’t have any academically qualified nurse in my nursing home but some High School pass boys and girls whom I have groomed to be efficient enough to work in any sort of infrastructure through-out the country. The instruments that are there in my Nursing home are all built by me. That is really cost effective so that I can impart new age treatment at low costs. For example, there are only 2 Travelling Incubators in the whole of state and each costs around 6 lacs. However I have built one in just 27000 rupees.
Q: Why are infants so prone to diseases these days?
A: Reasons are pollution, Gene transformation and Trace- Emotional or Economic. Few years back a 35 year old lady carrying a baby was prone to down-syndrome, but these days the age has gone down to 25 years. This problem is universal.
Q: Why this thing is booming al over?
A: Lack of awareness, lack of awareness, lack of awareness.(…………………) Mal nutrition of mothers is also a reason.
Q: This is every man’s question what is better Caesarian or normal delivery?
A: Every man will say normal cause its mentally and physically healthy for the mother. Sir Darwin has said that “the fittest survives”. Every child is born with this survival instinct.
Q: The child can not speak of his problems and pains. So it must be very difficult for you to treat them in the right way?
A: Based on the child’s eye impressions, diagnosis is done. Only the best of the lot are allowed to study pediatrics in medical sciences.
Q: The government has undertaken a project of training (……..) and place them in villages. How do you feel about it?
A: it is possible and good. Since the good and dignified doctors would not prefer to go in remote areas. And only these (….) doctors would to go these areas. Even I have worked with them in remote areas. I train them on a quarterly basis. The only thing to look at is to train them regularly. Even I am always very anxious for self-development and up gradation. On a regular basis I get myself trained from CMC, Vellore on neo- natal treatment science.
Q: What should be done to provide the poor villagers with modern treatment fascilities?
A: Rajiv Gandhi Health Foundation and I.C.I.C.I Corp. together have launched a programme to insure the BPL Ration Card Holders. They will get free of cost medical treatment against this insurance. Midnapore was the pioneering state in West Bengal to launch this scheme.
Q: How should the new born be taken care by the mother?
A: First of all keep him covered and warm always and secondly a bath every day is necessary. Thirdly no sunlight, Fourthly, the environment should be silent, don’t use KAAJAL, Massage always with Coconut Oil. This massage itself creates a bonding between the mother and the baby. An unknown fact is that while massaging the baby the mother produces milk in her breast.