Location: Delhi and nearby areas
Project: Health /Medical
Start Dates: 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month
Language/Skill Requirements: Medical professionals or students
Arrival & Departure Point : Indira Gandhi International Airport , New Delhi
Accommodation/Meals : Host family and Indian food three times a day/residential accommodation
Working Hours: 20-30 hours per week

Overview of Health Project

India is a densely populated country with a majority of citizens living below the poverty level and without access to the basic health facilities. Primary health care is one area sorely lacking among impoverished Indians. People die every day because many poor people cannot afford doctors or basic health care facilities such as clinics or hospitals.

The health centers in India are run by private companies and government to help and support the poor community. These centers have all equipment, good healthcare and medical practitioners. Volunteers are needed to assist doctors or complete the tasks assigned by the hospitals/centers. Volunteers can come and help in groups or individually to support the health center in whatever way they can. Volunteers or medical student work in the public hospitals in the city in various departments, including dermatology, orthodontics, medicine etc.

In addition to it: we have Help Age Ambulance project: there are 2 kinds of ambulance programs available with us.

Eye Ambulance: Here our volunteers and optometrists go to different rural areas daily. Their main target is to find old aged people who have cataracts and bring them back to the hospital for free surgery. Volunteers have the opportunity to assist in checking their vision as well as observing consultations with the optometrists. It requires no prior knowledge.

General Ambulance: Here our volunteers accompany a doctor and pharmacists go to specific areas and provide medical care and medicines at very low cost.  Volunteers have the opportunity to observe and assist the doctor in general examinations and the pharmacist in dispensing medication.

Role of a Volunteer

Volunteers will engage in various activities according to their education, skills, experience, and qualifications. Some volunteer duties are as follows:

• Measuring BP, temperature, height, weight Assist doctors and medical staffs in the health centers
• Help in health camps
• Distributing medicines
• Provide tips to patients on health, nutrition and sanitation and counseling patients
• Treatment for minor injuries/wounds Record keeping of patience

Skills/Qualifications Requirements

Volunteers interested in joining Volunteer Health Program in India must possess health care certification, such as an ID as a medical student, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician's credentials. Medical volunteers without credentials are not allowed to work in this program because of the potential risk.

Room/Food/Supervision

Global Crossroad manages room/food three times a day for volunteers in India . Volunteer mostly stay with host family or in an apartment.

Global Crossroad maintains 3 local staffs, office, vehicle, and own hostel in Delhi . Most of our partner health centers, hospitals, clinics are located within 20 miles enabling us to meet our volunteers whenever needed. Volunteer will also have 24/7 access to our office and mobile number of coordinators. Our staffs also visit volunteers in each 1-2 week interval as a part of program.

Location Descriptions

All the Health Centers/Hospitals/Clinics are located 40km in distance from central Delhi . As a historical capital city of India , Delhi contains major tourist attraction like Red Fort, Lotus Temple , Qutab Minar, Lodhi Gardens , etc. Delhi has wide range of local markets, restaurant, Internet café, clubs, shopping centers, and cultural heritages to explore. There are numerous options for volunteers to explore Delhi in free time. They can use taxi/auto rickshaw to go around Delhi and explore more of it during weekends. Tours can be arranged to Agra & Jaipur, unless not included in the package.

A typical day of a Volunteer in the Health Project

As the requirements are changing daily, an overview of a typical day is hard to suggest. The medical volunteers in India would be working in conjunction with the local doctors/authorities, which would provide them a description of their schedule. Volunteers have to be flexible with the schedule as per the doctors they will work with.