What do we do?The PRAY team is a network of trustees, social activists, doctors and professionals who converge on the last Saturday of every month at the Muslim Orphanage on Dickenson Road (downhill from Manipal Centre) to counsel patients and review our activities. What motivates us? The word of Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon him): “Be courteous. Sit with the poor and the humble; this will exalt you in the sight of God and save you form pride and arrogance.”
Our major activities to help the patients can be classified as follows 1. Funding of surgeries (Heart, Cancer, Cataract, Kidney Transplant) 2. Financing of ongoing treatment (Dialysis, Cancer – Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy) 3. Facilitation and counselling to reduce costs of treatment 4. Provision of regular maintenance medicinal supplies 5. Money for clinical and pathological investigations 6. Emergency interventions – Burns, Accident cases, Deliveries 7. Miscellaneous – hearing aid for deaf, arranging blood transfusions, medical camps
How do we operate?The PRAY team is a network of trustees, social activists, doctors and professionals. We hold regular meetings on the last Saturday of each month at the Muslim Orphanage on Dickenson Road where our team meet the patients and evaluate the cases. When a patient comes to us, we first assess his/her socio-economic conditions to ensure that s/he deserves aid. This is then verified through a visit to the residence and neighbourhood of the patient to establish his/her credibility and need. We would like to mention here that in our operations since 1998, we have turned away only SIX cases on these grounds. Our team of doctors studies his/her case papers and advises the trustees on the course of action. If the patient requires immediate attention such as surgery to save his/her life, we sanction his/her case immediately and make out a cheque to the institute/hospital directly to the maximum amount possible. We do not disburse money to the beneficiaries under any circumstances. We directly approach our regular donors to arrange for more emergency funds. In cases which are not urgent, but require a large amount of money for surgeries, we counsel the patient on other channels open to him/ her with the aim of reducing the expense without compromising on the quality of the treatment and recovery of the patient. If he/she is currently getting treatment in an expensive hospital, we try to get him/her shifted to a government hospital or a hospital where we have contacts and can get concessions and reduce his/her expense. The next step is to help him/her to obtain a “below poverty line” ration card is he/she is eligible for it. Armed with this, he/she is then directed by us to the local MLA to obtain funds from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, the Councillor for the Mayor fund and to the local MP for funds from the Prime Minister’s relief fund. These two sources solve a considerable problem regarding funds. We also approach the concerned hospital on behalf of the patient to reduce the charges. Very often, we have found doctors waiving their own fee entirely, and the hospital readily acquiescing to reducing the expense for the poor patient. We also approach other like-minded organizations that provide funds such as the Melwani Trust and the Bagaria Trust, who also provide money to the patients. Thus the financial burden on the patient is diminished. We also buy and directly provide medicines to the patients who require them monthly on a long term basis. Patients who wish to avail this facility are asked to get the prescription from the doctor. The typical medicines we currently buy and give to the patients are diabetic medicine such as insulin injections, anti-hypertensive medication, inhalers for asthmatics and oxygen cylinders. The typical cost for medication per patient works out to around Rs 800/- per month per patient. We have tied up with two well-known pharmacies of Bangalore – Bharat Medicals and Star Medical – who provide us with a credit line each month and give possible discount up to 15%. If you would like to provide medicines directly to PRAY, or finance this activity specifically, then please do get in touch with us m.a.shariff@gmail.com or send us your contribution along with this donation form.
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