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Sector: Village Health Care
CORD uses a holistic approach to healthcare
services. Doctors in outpatient clinics, village
midwives, health guides, and community groups
together promote and manage health issues.
Educating people, recognizing the role of
midwives in isolated villages, and connecting to
referral services is an integral part of the
program. Immunization, family planning,
nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation are promoted.
Prevention of diseases from diarrhea to AIDS is
emphasized. When patients are unable to obtain
immediate medical resources in their community,
CORD connects them to resources through its
extensive networking system. This was the case
for Darshana Devi after a serious accident.
In the rural village of Patyalkar, Darshana
Devi’s life was not easy. From morning to
evening she attended to her in-laws’ every need.
One day during a visit to her parents’ home, her
fate took a sudden turn. Darshana Devi was
taking a bull to an open field. Suddenly, the
bull started to run away. As Darshana Devi was
chasing after the bull, she tripped and fell,
seriously injuring her leg. She screamed for
help and fortunately her parents heard her
desperate pleas. They brought her back home and
took care of the injury as best they could.
Darshana Devi had sustained a femur fracture
which she would end up treating many times in
her life. She thought the fracture would heal on
its own, so she did not bother to treat it. Her
negligence resulted in an improper fusion and
chronic infection of the bone and left her
unable to walk.
 Her
situation reached the ears of Urmila, a CORD
worker. Urmila understood her desperation and
brought Darshana Devi to CORD so she could
obtain the necessary medications from the
Out-Patient Dispensary. CORD also helped
Darshana Devi procure other necessary items like
books and a uniform that she could not provide
for her son.
The doctors recommended that a metal rod be
placed in her leg so she could walk properly.
This procedure was too expensive for Darshana
Devi. However, through CORD’s networks, Darshana
Devi came in contact with Ms. Uma Shergill, a
Trustee of the Chinmaya Tapovan Trust. Umaji
asked her dear friend Dr. Sandhu, an orthopedic
surgeon, if he could perform the operation. He
gladly accepted and Umaji brought Darshana Devi
to Khakkar Hospital in Amritsar. After receiving
this medical attention, Darshana Devi was too
poor to afford the post operation medications
that were necessary for her recovery. She asked
for help from her husband and in-laws but they
refused. Umaji came to the rescue and paid for
all of Darshana Devi’s surgery expenses and
post-operative care.
After some time Darshana Devi was able to build
up her strength and managed to be on crutches.
Expecting a warm return, Darshana Devi decided
to go back to her husband’s home. When she went
home, her husband saw her condition and told her
not to come back until she was healthy and able
to work. Darshana Devi was shocked that her own
husband would react in this way. She had done
nothing wrong and could not understand his wish.
After returning to her parents’ home with her
son, Darshana Devi found herself jobless. Her
husband had gotten remarried and started a new
life, completely leaving behind his wife and
son. Darshana Devi was devastated and was in no
position physically or mentally to start a new
life. She went back to the one place she could
be comforted: the home of her parents.
Unable to support herself and her son, Darshana
Devi turned to CORD. She started sewing training
and trained for two and a half years at the CORD
Center. Soon she began working at Guru Kripa, a
tailoring store run by women who had been
trained at the CORD Center. Her income increased
significantly as she gained more work
experience. Initially making 150 rupees per
month, Darshana Devi started making 1500 rupees
per month.
Darshana Devi lived peacefully for nine years
making a steady income. However, this soon
changed as her leg began to puss heavily and she
needed medical attention immediately. She showed
her leg to a doctor in Dharamsala, and he
recommended that she go back to Amritsar to get
the rod readjusted. Darshana Devi returned to
Khakkar Hospital and had another surgery done by
Dr. Sandhu. The doctor removed the metal rod and
instead inserted a metal plate affixed with nine
nails. This time, Darshana Devi was able to pay
for a part of the surgery with some of her
income. The rest of the expenses were provided
by Umaji and Darshana Devi’s friends at CORD and
Guru Kripa.
Darshana Devi is supporting herself through her
work at Guru Kripa. With the help of the
Informal Legal Cell at CORD, she was able to
take her husband to court so that he would
financially support their son. Darshana Devi’s
association with CORD has not been limited to
just one program, a reflection of CORD’s
holistic approach to problem solving and
capacity development. CORD makes sure to look
into all components of the patient’s life.
Currently, Darshana Devi is planning on building
her own home on sanctioned government land.
Despite her turbulent medical history, with the
support of CORD, her friends at Guru Kripa, and
other villagers, she has been able to rebuild
her life and the life of her son.
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