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‘SEVAK programme’ helping to combat NCDs

Feb 06, 2018 News

Tackling chronic non-communicable diseases [NCDs] is not an undertaking that the health sector can pursue in isolation. Rather, achieving such a feat requires a national effort with individuals and community based organisations taking on a meaningful role.
It was perhaps in recognition of this that the Subraj Family Foundation has been keeping alive the Sevak programme. The programme is one which was introduced to help improve lifestyle changes that can lend to reducing the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases [NCDS].
In a 2016 edition of the Indian Journal of Nephrology, it was revealed that the introduction of the Sevak Programme here was as a means of prevention and early detection of diabetes and hypertension, the main causes of kidney failure in Guyana.
The term SEVAK speaks to “sanitation and health education in village communities through improved awareness and knowledge of prevention/management of diseases and health promotion.”
The SEVAK programme was first introduced in India and adopted here by the late George Subraj [founder of the Subraj Family Foundation] with help from Kidney Specialist Dr. Thakor Patel and Kidney Surgeon Dr. Rahul Jindal.
Upon its introduction, the programme entailed the basic training of teachers and students of the Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara Saraswati Vidya Niketan School to be able to reach out to those in their communities to determine whether they are at risk for NCDs. The initiative included a component which saw the students educating family members and their communities at large to practice healthy habits.
Following the introduction of the programme back in 2012, Dr. Patel had proposed that the information garnered be passed on to government so that any necessary intervention can be swiftly introduced.
“Starting with this project we are hoping that the rest of the villages and even the other countries will pick up and would want this and even request of the Government to have it done in their communities too,” Dr. Patel had said of the programme.
He revealed that the success of the programme in India had translated to over 18,000 people being screened for various forms of health issues and education and other programmes engaged to address sanitation and lifestyle modification.
Dr. Jindal had revealed that while he has over the years been offering high-end treatment for kidney failure through transplant operations, a critical portion of dealing with this health challenge is prevention.
He said even then, that the most common reasons for kidney failure are diabetes and hypertension. If efforts are made to prevent or treat these factors at an early stage then maybe some patients would not have to suffer kidney failure, undergo dialysis and transplantation.
“So what we are doing now is a comprehensive kidney programme which includes screening, diagnosis and treatment…we have now covered everything…It is the whole spectrum,” Dr. Jindal had outlined.
Speaking of the programme recently, long time friend of the late George Subraj, Jay Narain, said that efforts are continuously being made to realise the results for which the programme is intended. As part of the programme he noted that information garnered is forwarded to the overseas based doctors who are able to analyse same and make suggestions.
“We are lucky to have a model like [ZEVAK] in Guyana that we can go into the regions and get people aware.
“Guyanese don’t think about their health much and it is an expensive thing when you are not healthy… because the entire family is affected. Most times women outlive the men and then the women face economic difficulties. I see it all the time,” said Narain.  He lauded the efforts that have been made to sustain the crucial SEVAK programme.
He added, “We get to educate people through this programme…so that they know not to drink too much, don’t use too much alcohol; reduce salt, reduce sugar intake…modify your lifestyle and you can be productive citizens,” said Narain.

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