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Project-Scaling Life

IAD is presently being funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to carry out a project “Scaling Life” aimed at expanding integrated medicine in India through a public-private model of care. To implement integrated medicine for filarial lymphedema, IAD worked with the governments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.

Four regional filariasis treatment centres are established in endemic districts of UP and Bihar. The treatment team at the regional centre is formed from locally recruited, qualified applicants who uphold gender equality and make them undergo a rigorous one-month training program at IAD- Center of Excellence for Lymphedema.

Each centre aims to treat 325 Lymphatic Filariasis patients in the intensive phase  (14 days admission in the wards)  and three follow-ups. Patients receive free treatment and medicines for up to three follow-ups. Therefore, about 1300 patients will have benefited from this program by the end of the project period IAD.

A patient education class is held for both the patients and their caregivers to familiarize them with home care practices and raise awareness about the disease.  To mobilize the patients to the center team regularly conducted patient camps in coordination with Local ASHA workers and District malaria filaria officers.  Pamphlets regarding the availability of treatments for filariasis are also distributed in the area to raise public awareness.

For the management of difficult patients, the treatment team receives consultations from IAD, which includes National and International Lymphoedema experts. The monitoring team of IAD visits the regional centres at frequent intervals to monitor the operations of the centres and guide them in managing difficult cases. IAD conducts regular online consultations, and round-the-clock CCTV monitoring to ensure the smooth running of the centres.

Patient communication is used to gather feedback from patients regularly.  Patients who have successfully undergone treatment at IAD are selected as patient coordinators to ensure regular follow-ups by the patients as per the schedule and encourage them to continue home care treatment.

Patient information, clinical records  Photographs Videos are stored in a centralized database. Clinical data specialists use this database to evaluate the program’s impact.

The treatment centres established by IAD have to be linked to selected AYUSH wellness centres for continued treatment of patients after the third follow-up

Dr Jordan Tappero, Deputy Director, Ms. Molly Mort, Program Officer, Non-Tropical Diseases (NTD) team, Seattle, USA & Dr Vishal Dogra, Program Officer from the NTD team, New Delhi visited IAD treatment facilities and IAD’s Ayurveda Drug Manufacturing unit.

Training to the Clinical Staff: Practical training sessions on A) girth measurement B)phanta soaking C) compression bandaging, D) Toe compression conducted at the BMGF Center of Excellence, IAD.