WorkingasavolunteerpharmacistforCalcuttaRescue–
finalreport
1.Searchforvaccanciesinternationalhealth
2.Preparation
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3.Visa
For being as flexible as possible, I applied for a 1 year visa at the Indian Visa Application
Centre for Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria in Munich (Schellingstr. 35,
Tel. No.: +49 (0) 89-28673805 Email ID: [email protected];
http://ivs-germany.com/Default.aspx).
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4.Preparation
For getting medical travel and vaccination advice, as well as for being vaccinated, the
Tropeninstitut in Munich is a good address.
The Homepage of the Federal Foreign Office offers news about travelling and safety
worldwide (compare http://www.auswaertigesamt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/SicherheitshinweiseA-ZLaenderauswahlseite_node.html). Furthermore travellers can registrate at elefand
(compare https://service.diplo.de/elefandextern/home/registration!form.action) as well as
inform themselves on country specific precautions.
I used the Comdirect Visa Card for paying at supermarkets and for withdrawing money at
cashpoints. It has always been working.
Before travelling to India, you should be informed on country specific customs regulations
(Indian and German). If you fly with Emirates, you will probably stay in Dubai for a short
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period. Because of this you should be very cautiously with drugs and medicines of every
kind. Especially, if you want to carry them with you during the flight. For avoidance of
problems, prescriptions by German doctors and the ADAC Medical Certificate would be a
good preparation. Besides all the drugs should be evaluated on being listed as Restricted
in the UAE.
It is very useful to take along a laptop to Kolkata, because the quality of the CR-computers
is not the best and independent working is easier then.
5.Healthinsurance
Two kinds of insurances should be taken out: one for Germany, as most of the overseas
health insurances do not cover treatment in Germany in cases of return to Germany
because of health related issues and a second one for being insured overseas (a good
option for students is insurance via the DAAD).
6.ExpectationsbeforemystayatKolkata
I did not have any concrete expectations, but I was afraid of not being able to handle the
tasks or of not having the skills for being able to manage them. Most of the foreign
volunteers need the first weeks for acclimation (also in the literal sense). This means that
you just have to sit, watch and wait. Probably a challenge for those who think that they
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always have to do something, whereas this is not unusual in the view of most Indians.
After this period of waiting, watching and via this way also learning, one will be able to start
specific projects.
7.IcouldusemanyskillsgainedthrougheducationinGermanyformyworkatCR
8.Tasks
I have been working for Calcutta Rescue from March 2015 to September 2015.
DuringmystayIhadtohandlemanytasksandwasreponsibleforvarious
projects:
1.
After searching for possible information sources/databases for evidencebased medicine which could be useful for optimization of quality of
healthcare at Calcutta Rescue, I applied for access to UpToDate and
educated the doctors and clinical staff on the features and usage of
UpToDate and on the basics of evidence-based medicine. Furthermore, I
installed offline useable versions of UpToDate on the computers at CR
(compare http://www.uptodate.com/de/home).
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GHDonline.org, a product of the Global Health Delivery Project at Harvard
University, has provided a platform of professional virtual communities
(PVCs) for thousands of health care implementers around the world to
connect, share, and discuss delivery challenges, focusing primarily on lowresource settings. GHDonline has partnered with UpToDate (UTD)—an
evidence-based, physician-authored clinical decision support tool used by
700,000 clinicians in 158 countries and almost 90% of academic medical
centers in the United States—to provide free UTD access to professionals
working in resource-limited settings.
http://www.ghdonline.org/home/
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2. I had to organise an educational course on pharmacology related topics for
the clinic staff (recommendations for drug intake, management of side effects
and drug interaction checking). During the first lessons I tried to find out
which kind of knowledge would be important for the participants in their daily
work. Afterwards I started to set up cards for drug intake.
Repetition final exam Pharmacy Lessons 2015
Certificate Pharmacy Lessons
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3. I set up cards for recommendations on drug intake (timing and relation to
food, dietary/general recommendations) for about 350 regularly used drugs
at CR and used the last lessons for training on card management.
Understanding
the meaning
of these cards was the most important
requirement for being able to pass the final exam.
. -GJyceryitrinitrate
Nitroglycer•nsublingual tablets
Cards for Drug lntake
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4. During the first weeks, the clinical management at CR asked me to prepare a
guideline for monitoring of CML and to evaluate the treatment and monitoring
regimens applied to the CML patients treated at Calcutta Rescue.
Documentation CML patients
5. Another important part of my work was the supervision of operations and
staff at the Main Pharmacy as well as the handling, recording and acquiring
of medical donations (for example Vitamin A and Albendazole by Vitamin
Angels).
Robin Makhal at the Main Pharmacy
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Child receiving Vitamin A donated by
6. The volunteer pharmacists at CR are participating in the Medical Audit
Committee (MAC) Meeting and in the Doctors Meeting, responding to
doctors’ queries on medications and therapy and they are responsible for
updating guidelines and procedures for the management of diseases.
7. Besides my medical tasks, I also had to participate in the sale of handicrafts.
Handicrafts project CR
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9.Workload
10.WhatdidIlearnatCR?
During the six months in Kolkata, I improved my language skills and intensified my
knowledge on diseases like leprosy, CML, tuberculosis and HIV.
11.Problems
Educating the clinic staff was a challenge, because of their limited English skills. Another
challenge, I could unfortunately not manage, was my attempt to get donations for laptops,
because these are needed for optimal use of UpToDate. I wrote a lot of e-mails to different
kind of companies, but did mostly not even get an answer.
12.Colleagues
Indian colleagues at the Main Pharmacy
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Pharmacy lessons 2014
Doctor at Talapark Clinic
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12.ContactstootherIndianpeople
Flat at Clarke Street
13.Accommodation (Shomir Choudhuri Clarke Street 8/1B)
In front of the house at Clarke Street
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15.Studymotivation
“After my stay in Kolkata, I will intensify my
studies in philosophy and economy, because ethic
convictions and economic systems are the real roots
of poverty.“
17.VolunteersatCR
Volunteers together with Dr. Jack, the founder of CR
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Volunteers selling handicrafts at the Fairlawn Hotel on Sudder Street,
Kolkata
Volunteers working at the Main Pharmacy
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Volunteers are asked to commit to Calcutta Rescue for between 6 to 12 months (but a
minimum of 3 months will be considered in special circumstances). Due to a certain
amount of administrative work involved in all roles, volunteers should have good spoken
and written English skills and be organised and confident communicators. Prior work
experience in a developing country would be an advantage though not essential. Possible
volunteer roles include mainly medical tasks (doctors, wound care specialists, podiatrists,
pharmacists, nurses, disability specialists, physiotherapists, midwifes), but also nonmedical roles, because CR is also searching for administrators/volunteer coordinators
(compare http://www.calcuttarescue.org/how-can-you-help/volunteering/).
Leisure time/holidays can be spent on language courses, travelling and meeting other
volunteers from all over the world.
19.ImprovementoforganisationbyStudentundArbeitsmarkt
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ANNEX:
1. Importantaddresses/websites
•
CalcuttaRescueIndia
http://www.calcuttarescue.org/
Admin Office
Calcutta Rescue
4th Floor
85 Collin Street
Kolkata 700 016
Ph No: +91 (0)33 22175675 (fax/phone) or 40648277
[email protected] (administrator Calcutta Rescue)
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CalcuttaRescueGermany
http://www.calcutta-rescue.de/
[email protected]
•
Accommodation
Shomir Choudhuri
Clarke Street 8/1B
700026 Kolkata
Mobile: 9433077188
[email protected]
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DeutschesGeneralkonsulatKalkutta
1 Hastings Park Road
Alipore
Kolkata
700027 India
Ph No: +91 (0)33-24791141/2479
Emergency: Ph No: +91 (0)9831016091, [email protected]
http://www.india.diplo.de/Vertretung/indien/de/02 Kolkata/02 kolkata consular_
_info/Fuer deutsche Staatsangehoerige/seite hilfesuchende deutsche.html
http://www.india.diplo.de/contentblob/3237350/Daten/4846481/download_datei_hilf
esuchende_deutsche.pdf
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DeutscheBotschaftNeu-Delhi
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Emergency: Ph No: +91 (0)9810004950
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Lawyers
KHANNA&CO. ADVOCATES
Ph No: +91 (0)33-22301783 or 22437914 or Mobile: (0)9831074677
[email protected]
[email protected] Rechtsanwaltsliste des Generalkonsulats:
http://www.india.diplo.de/contentblob/3174930/Daten/3970964/datei_download_rec
htsanwaltsliste.pdf
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EmergencyHospitals
Apollo Hospitals: 1602
Woodlands Medical Centre: 1800 or 3459000
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ÄrztelistedesGeneralkonsulats
http://www.india.diplo.de/contentblob/3174866/Daten/1591062/download_datei_aer
zte.pdf
•
Bengaliteacher
Sunanda Basu
Ph No: 9836266529
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Internationalcreditcardblockingnumber
+49 - 116 116 or +49 - 30 4050 4050
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Healthinsurance
Voluntary insurance for Germany + DAAD 720A for abroad (only for students,
Continentale Krankenversicherung)
https://www.daad.de/versicherung/allgemein/bedingungen/en/14380-daadinsurance-destination-abroad/
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Hospital
Medstar Clinic
Shakespear Saroni road 39
Kolkata 700017
Ph No: +91 (0)33-22837407/8/9
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MalariaTesting
Eastern Diagnostics Freeschoolstreet
21
Mirza Ghalib Street 13
Ph No: 22178080/81
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Emergencyphonenumber(s)healthinsurance
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Contactairline
2. Preparation
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Courses
AGEH - http://www.ageh.de/infothek/kurse.html
Apotheker ohne Grenzen - http://www.apotheker-ohne-grenzen.de/wie-und-wo-wirhelfen/schulungen/
Difäm - http://difaem.de/nc/fachangebote/seminare/datum/1970/01/01/public-healthund-tropenmedizin/
Missionsärztliche Klinik Würzburg https://missioklinik.de/fachabteilungen/tropenmedizin/weiterbildung.html
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Vaccination
Tropeninstitut München
http://www.klinikum.uni-muenchen.de/Abteilung-fuer-Infektions-undTropenmedizin/de/30_Reise_impfberatung/index.html
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RegistrationELEFAND
https://service.diplo.de/elefandextern/home/registration!form.action
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Creditcard(s)
Comdirect - https://www.comdirect.de/
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Passport/Visa
Visa application for 1 year is possible.
Indian Visa Application Centre (Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria)
Schellingstr. 35,
80799 Munich
Tel. No.: +49 (0) 89-28673805
Email ID: [email protected]
http://ivs-germany.com/Default.aspx
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AuswärtigesAmtReise-undSicherheitshinweise
http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/00SiHi/IndienSicherheit.html
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•
Customsregulations(!Dubaianddrugs!)
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(Travelerscheques,secondcreditcard?,dollars)
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Copies
of the passport, health insurance certificate, certificate of vaccination
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Passportphotos
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USBstick with scans of the most important documents
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Travelpharmacy(+prescriptionsandADAC MedicalCertificate):
https://www.adac.de/_mmm/pdf/ADAC_Medikamentenformular%201_149892.pdf
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Hospitalincaseofillness (how could I reach it - also at night or during holiday?)
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Organisingpick-upatairport usually done by a Calcutta Rescue driver
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Important documents should be stored with the hand luggage during the flight (e.g.
certificate health insurance)
3. Duringyourstay
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Safety
do not keep your credit card in your purse; keep some money at your flat/hostel;
taxi booking: prepaid; cultural sensitivity the following dress code should be
followed whilst working with CR: Women - no shorts, no skirts that don’t cover the
knee, no low cut tops, Men - no shorts; keep a low profile
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Food/water/drinks:
cook it, peel it or leave it; if possible you should drink bottle water (if this is not
possible, the water should be filtered, heated and disinfected with Micropur); regular
hand washing; no ice cubes; peel fruits and vegetables (or at least washing and
cooking of vegetables); teeth brushing with bottle water; no raw salads; no prepeeled fruits; heating of milk(products) (risk of tuberculosis); no cold dressings;
quality of restaurants
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Malaria/Dengue
Nobite, Autan Tropical, mosquito nets (bed, windows), Malarone stand by, (malaria
rapid diagnostic tests), knowledge of typical malaria symptoms, no use of Aspirin,
outside at night: long sleeves, impregnated clothes
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Sun/rainprotection
umbrella (rain and sun), rain protection for the rucksack and especially for the
laptop, flip-flops/crocs, (rubber boots), sunscreen
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•
IndianSIMcard
(for example Vodafone, monthly recharge: 1 GB for internet, 100 Rupees for local
calls)
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Whicharethemostimportantskills/qualificationswhileworkingforCalcutta
Rescue?
1. Good spoken and written English skills
2. Good organisational and communication skills
3. Ability to answer medical information queries according to evidence based
criteria
4. Flexibility – the role of the pharmacist can involve new activities and new
roles/adaption to the environment in a developing country requires a high
degree of flexibility
5. High degree of own inititative, engagement and independent working
6. Ability to work with others in a multicultural team
7. Ability to be pro-active in terms of work creation and assess the unwritten
needs of the pharmacy and clinics
8. Self-motivated, enthusiastic, resourceful, able to self-reflect on experiences,
co-operative, flexible, friendly and willing to accept responsibility
9. Sense of humour
Clinics/projects:
:
Chitpur – leprosy clinic
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Chitpur – leprosy clinic
Chitpur – leprosy clinic
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Talapark Clinic
Sealdah Clinic
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Street Medicine
Street Medicine
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Leprosy patient Chitpur Clinic
Leprosy patient Chitpur Clinic
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Medical documentation leprosy patients
Sealdah Clinic
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