In light of the alarming rate of Diabetes in Pakistan, SHINE launched a holistic Diabetes Program which encompasses medical treatment, lifestyle management and nutritional counseling for patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus. We maintain vigilant follow-ups to ensure the community gets the help they need. Screening is done based on HbA1C, a revolutionary step in rural areas, followed by routine blood test for a holistic point of care.
Generously sponsored by the JB Azariah family, our Community Outreach Program caters to 500 households. The team consists of a Community Midwife, Community Health Workers(CHWs) and a Nutritionist. Our activities include awareness sessions, multivitamin supplementation and vaccinations of both children and adults.
The Malaria program started in 2017 and has been running for over 6 years during which we have tested more than 10,000 patients. This program screens the population for malaria using screening kits, followed by confirmatory blood test and thick and thin film microscopy. Each confirmed case is followed up until completely treated and preventative solutions like mosquito repellants are provided for complete care.
This program was in response to a baseline that showed that no intervention was in place for rural communities suffering from Asthma and other respiratory issues. The program aims to identify and treat people with respiratory illnesses. Screening is conducted through a spirometry test. For patients who show obstructive or restrictive lung disease, we provide inhalers and life-saving medication, as well as educational material in the regional language on smoking cessation and other contributing factors.
Our public health internship program focuses on introducing the field of public health to students of various disciplines in Pakistan. Each month we take up 2 candidates from institutes around Karachi and broaden their perspective of medicine beyond diagnosis and treatment. The process involves programmatic proposal building, research writing workshops, public health in practice via community outreach and field visits to Sindh.
In 2020 SHINE Humanity started a Paani Project to tackle the root cause behind the outbreak of waterborne diseases in rural communities. The cause behind most gastrointestinal diseases which ail the local community lies in usage of contaminated water. Hence, To date we have installed 6 RO plants in various locations in interior Sindh, including Ibrahim Hyderi,Sujawal and Mirpur Khaas. Through robust collaborations with the local communities, we aim to provide clean drinking water to rural areas.
Pakistan now has the highest burden of Hepatitis B and C patients globally. Our Hepatitis Eradication Program started in 2021. In collaboration with The Health Foundation, we initiated screening of the rural population for Hepatitis-C. After a confirmed diagnosis, the patients are treated until they are disease-free. We have further included Hepatitis-B eradication by starting a vaccination program from the identified patient pool.
The Malnutrition Program at SHINE runs from the Garibson clinic Gharo. Through this program, we identify and screen children in under-served communities who are suffering from severe and moderate acute malnutrition. A complete follow-up, along with necessary referrals, is managed by the doctors and community outreach team.The Community Outreach Program works in conjunction with the Malnutrition Program to screen children using basic health questionnaires and by physically examining the child, who is then treated by a doctor using medication and RUTF (Ready To Use Therapeutic Packets).
Started in 2022, this program aims to train our medical officers and allied health professionals to identify and treat mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Our medical officers are trained to identify, make a preliminary diagnosis and begin treatment for more severe illnesses like schizophrenia.
Under this program, we aim to identify the school-going children in Gharo at risk of anemia and provide medical care to the individuals identified. Considering the target population, multiple adolescents suffer from anemia due to worm infestation and lack of a healthy diet. SHINE helps cater to this by screening children who show signs of anemia using Hemoglobin strip testing and then treating them through nutritional, pharmaceutical and emergency care. Integration of these efforts with awareness sessions and parental counseling helps build a healthier youth population.
