Rungsung Masakui | Indian medical camps – a labour of love

Good ideas emanate from an urge to make the world a better place. Despondent from not being able to celebrate India’s Republic Day in Jamaica in January 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, we took inspiration from the man who is considered the architect of the Indian Republic, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. His life mission of empowering the powerless inspired us to do something which would help the people instead. The ‘what’ and ‘how’ part of the equation was easy to solve.

We reached out to the more than 100-doctors strong Indian community with the idea of holding free medical camps across Jamaica, and they were immediately on board. The Indian pharmaceutical companies based in Jamaica agreed to provide medicines free of cost. Jamaican members of parliament, custodes, mayors, clinics, schools and churches were more than happy to arrange locations for holding the medical camps, besides providing volunteers.

And thus happened the first 13 simultaneously medical camps in nine different parishes of Jamaica on January 31, 2021, attending to around 2,500 persons in a single day. The services provided were free body check-up, measurement of vitals, consultation, and free medicines. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of goodness that can be unlocked and goodwill which can be generated if all of us decide to go that extra mile.

NO LOOKING BACK

There has been no looking back ever since. In the last 24 months, the High Commission of India has conducted 24 free medical camps across the length and breadth of Jamaica in association with our community doctors, pharmacists, local partners, and volunteers. These camps have attended to more than 5,000 patients. As we have gone along, we have added dental services, ophthalmology, ECG, HIV test, Syphilis test, and cholesterol test services. We have been to Manchester, Clarendon and Spanish Town. We have travelled to Ocho Rios. Our doctors served in Montego Bay; they were there in St Mary. It was heartening to see that the medical camp conducted last year September in Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ constituency attracted more than 500 persons.

Incidentally, the president of India inaugurated a street in downtown Kingston, named after Dr Ambedkar when he visited Jamaica last May. But, before the inauguration, there was a rigorous consultation process within various ministries/ departments/agencies of the Government of Jamaica for the street naming and with the residents of the area, something Dr Ambedkar would have wholeheartedly approved of. A consensus emerged on the naming when the local Jamaicans realised that Dr Ambedkar espoused the same values as Marcus Garvey and fought for the rights of the common people like them in his own country. At the inauguration, the honourable president remarked, “Let us always remember that icons like Dr Ambedkar and Marcus Garvey cannot be limited to just one nation or community. Their message of equality for all, and their appeal to end all forms of discrimination, has universal resonance.”

The 24th free medical camp organised at Holy Family Primary and Infant School, Laws Street for the residents of the area, in coordination with the local councilor, was timed with India’s celebration of the Constitution Day on November 26, 1949, the day India adopted the Constitution.

Considering that Dr Ambedkar was the pioneer of including the social and economic rights for the downtrodden in the Constitution, the spirit of this day transcends the boundaries of India and attains a global appeal.

GEARED UP

Having just celebrated the 74th Republic Day of India on January 26, the inability to celebrate the same occasion being the motivation to initiate the medical camp two years ago, we are all geared up to go for the 25th medical camp planned at the infant and primary school at Morant Bay on February 12, where hundreds of people are expected to benefit. In our journey of community service, we have had volunteer doctors and nurses from outside the India community. Jamaican, Nigerian and Cuban doctors and nurses have joined us on several occasions. This camp is, therefore, a platform where we welcome and invite anyone who wants to contribute to the society to come forward and participate. I wish I can find a better word in the English vocabulary than to say ‘Thank you’ to all the committed doctors, nurses, pharmaceutical companies and volunteers who have made this endeavour sustainable.

Dr Ambedkar had said, “Men are mortal. So are ideas. An idea needs propagation as much as a plant needs watering. Otherwise, both will wither and die.” The ideas of Dr Ambedkar, I strongly believe, will – like water – flow to the lowest point and take root, making common cause with the teachings of leaders like Marcus Garvey, William Du Bois, Booker Washington, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Rungsung Masakui is the high commissioner of India to Jamaica. Send feedback to cons.kingston@mea.gov.in