With over 4,500 people said to be suffering from effects of the toxic pesticide, UAE-based volunteers have come together to offer long-term rehabilitation services. Endosulfan victim Abhilash, 32, being carried by his mother after having bath in Kasaragod.The story of endosulfan victims in the south Indian state of Kerala has hit the headlines time and again in Indian and international media. Now, a group of volunteers from the UAE has come up with a project to offer long-term rehabilitation and home care services for these patients. The project is a brainchild of Leo Radhakrishnan, head of News at UAE-based Malayalam radio channel Radio Me. Toxic chemical endosulfan has been blamed to cause congenital deformities, cancer, allergies, hyper sensitivity, damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, reproductive disorders, epilepsy, mental disorders and disruption of the immune system of humans in areas where it was aerially sprayed on plantations for decades in the state. In the Kasaragod district, more than 4,500 people are said to be suffering from multiple effects of the pesticide that was banned in the state in 2001. Though the government has allocated special funds for endosulfan victims, social activists say there are no long-term rehabilitation arrangement and medical facilities to support the victims. “The biggest challenge faced by the endosulfan-affected people is their rehabilitation. I realised their plight after reading about the suicide of a family of endosulfan victims a couple of months ago. That is what prompted me to think of coming up with a project to support them in rehabilitation, and counselling for their families,” said Leo, who has helped support about 400 needy listeners through his programmes on two radio stations in the past. For the Special Care Centres for Endosulfan Victims, Leo and ‘We Help Me’, a voluntary group formed by listeners of his Trust Me radio show, have tied up with Alpha Palliative Care, which provides palliative care to the needy patients and counselling for their families in Kerala. Rebirth As per the plan, Alpha Palliative Care will set up three link centres and a hospice facility in Kasaragod with financial aid from corporate groups like Malabar Gold and Diamonds, said the Chairman of Alpha Palliative Care K.M. Noordeen. “Many endosulfan victims have physical deformation. We need to stop further degeneration. Our initiative ‘Punarjani’ (Rebirth) is aimed at enhancing the mobility of bedridden patients, thereby improving the quality of their remaining life.” Every day, patients will be brought to the link centres and given modern physiotherapy. “If we ask them to come, many families won’t be able to make it. So, we will bring the patients to the link centres in specially-designed vans with side opening facility. We plan to bring 60 people in a day and more than 350 every week. That many more with their own transportation facilities can also be served.” Doctors and nurses will also visit about 25 patients’ homes every day to provide home care. “We will also train families and community volunteers.” The hospice will be a special medicine centre with administrative blocks where electronic medical records will be kept and controlled medicines will be provided 24x7. “We have special sanction to provide these controlled medicines for palliative care. Patients won’t get them from ordinary pharmacies in their villages,” said Noordeen. Round-the-clock medical treatment and acute symptom control will also be offered to patients in very weak conditions. Our aim is to offer an efficient, community-led palliative care programme irrespective of caste, creed and politics. We will be endorsing the project among the prominent NRIs and other philanthropists here who can directly support the cause,” said Leo. The link centres and hospice are scheduled to open on October 31. To garner more support for the community initiative, a state-wide students’ rally under the slogan ‘Who Cares? We Do’ is also planned from October 14 to 31.