Working as a volunteer pharmacist for Calcutta Rescue –

final report

1. Search for vaccancies international health

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: ivsmunich@internationalvisaservices.net;

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.auswaertiges-

amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/SicherheitshinweiseA-Z-

Laenderauswahlseite_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. Health insurance

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. Expectations before my stay at Kolkata

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. I could use many skills gained through education in Germany for my work at CR

8. Tasks

I have been working for Calcutta Rescue from March 2015 to September 2015.

During my stay I had to handle many tasks and was reponsible for various

projects:

1.

After searching for possible information sources/databases for evidence-

based 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 low-

resource 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•n-

sublingual 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. What did I learn at CR?

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. Contacts to other Indian people

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. Study motivation

“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. Volunteers at CR

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 non-

medical 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. Improvement of organisation by Student und Arbeitsmarkt

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ANNEX:

1. Important addresses/websites

• Calcutta Rescue India

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

subhashis@calcuttarescue.org (administrator Calcutta Rescue)

• Calcutta Rescue Germany

http://www.calcutta-rescue.de/ apotheker@calcutta-rescue.de

• Accommodation

Shomir Choudhuri

Clarke Street 8/1B

700026 Kolkata

Mobile: 9433077188

shomirc1@gmail.com

• Deutsches Generalkonsulat Kalkutta

1 Hastings Park Road

Alipore

Kolkata

700027 India

Ph No: +91 (0)33-24791141/2479

Emergency: Ph No: +91 (0)9831016091, info@kalkutta.diplo.de

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

• Deutsche Botschaft Neu-Delhi

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Emergency: Ph No: +91 (0)9810004950

• Lawyers

KHANNA&CO. ADVOCATES

Ph No: +91 (0)33-22301783 or 22437914 or Mobile: (0)9831074677

khannaco@vsnl.net

rkhanna9872@gmail.com Rechtsanwaltsliste des Generalkonsulats:

http://www.india.diplo.de/contentblob/3174930/Daten/3970964/datei_download_rec

htsanwaltsliste.pdf

• Emergency Hospitals

Apollo Hospitals: 1602

Woodlands Medical Centre: 1800 or 3459000

• Ärzteliste des Generalkonsulats

http://www.india.diplo.de/contentblob/3174866/Daten/1591062/download_datei_aer

zte.pdf

• Bengali teacher

Sunanda Basu

Ph No: 9836266529

• International credit card blocking number

+49 - 116 116 or +49 - 30 4050 4050

• Health insurance

Voluntary insurance for Germany + DAAD 720A for abroad (only for students,

Continentale Krankenversicherung)

https://www.daad.de/versicherung/allgemein/bedingungen/en/14380-daad-

insurance-destination-abroad/

• Hospital

Medstar Clinic

Shakespear Saroni road 39

Kolkata 700017

Ph No: +91 (0)33-22837407/8/9

• Malaria Testing

Eastern Diagnostics Freeschoolstreet

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Mirza Ghalib Street 13

Ph No: 22178080/81

• Emergency phone number(s) health insurance

• Contact airline

2. Preparation

• Courses

AGEH - http://www.ageh.de/infothek/kurse.html

Apotheker ohne Grenzen - http://www.apotheker-ohne-grenzen.de/wie-und-wo-wir-

helfen/schulungen/

Difäm - http://difaem.de/nc/fachangebote/seminare/datum/1970/01/01/public-health-

und-tropenmedizin/

Missionsärztliche Klinik Würzburg -

https://missioklinik.de/fachabteilungen/tropenmedizin/weiterbildung.html

• Vaccination

Tropeninstitut München

http://www.klinikum.uni-muenchen.de/Abteilung-fuer-Infektions-und-

Tropenmedizin/de/30_Reise_impfberatung/index.html

• Registration ELEFAND

https://service.diplo.de/elefandextern/home/registration!form.action

• Credit card(s)

Comdirect - https://www.comdirect.de/

• 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: ivsmunich@internationalvisaservices.net

http://ivs-germany.com/Default.aspx

• Auswärtiges Amt Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/00-

SiHi/IndienSicherheit.html

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• Customs regulations (!Dubai and drugs!)

• (Travelers cheques, second credit card?, dollars)

• Copies

of the passport, health insurance certificate, certificate of vaccination

• Passport photos

• USB stick with scans of the most important documents

• Travel pharmacy (+ prescriptions and ADAC Medical Certificate):

https://www.adac.de/_mmm/pdf/ADAC_Medikamentenformular%201_149892.pdf

• Hospital in case of illness (how could I reach it - also at night or during holiday?)

• Organising pick-up at airport usually done by a Calcutta Rescue driver

• Important documents should be stored with the hand luggage during the flight (e.g.

certificate health insurance)

3. During your stay

• 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

• 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 pre-

peeled fruits; heating of milk(products) (risk of tuberculosis); no cold dressings;

quality of restaurants

• 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

• Sun/rain protection

umbrella (rain and sun), rain protection for the rucksack and especially for the

laptop, flip-flops/crocs, (rubber boots), sunscreen

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• Indian SIM card

(for example Vodafone, monthly recharge: 1 GB for internet, 100 Rupees for local

calls)

• Which are the most important skills/qualifications while working for Calcutta

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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Sealdah Clinic

Medical documentation leprosy patients