WCF - A UNIQUE CONCEPT IN HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Women and Children Foundation Ltd (WCF), is a project promoted by UK-based NRI's.  With the objective of bringing hi-tech healthcare to India, WCF is looking to provide good quality, equitable and affordable health care, which is free at the point of delivery.  It is in line with this philosophy that WCF has developed a comprehensive range of services and developed a number of healthcare packages. 

Dr Dhanasekaran Rajasekar MBBS, MRCOG, DFFP is the main person behind the whole project.  He has done extensive work in women's welfare and has co-ordinated National family planning and sexual health audits for an organisation called, National Health Service, which is based in Scotland. He initiated National Clinical Governance in family planning, which involved policy makers, customers and service providers jointly setting national standards. He is the founder of Puspham Rural Health Service in the limited access areas of South Kerala, which had only five other hospitals to serve a population of 1 million.  Dr Rajasekar is also the founder Director of a Scottish charity organisation called, Indian Medical Program and Charity Trust (IMPACT).

Ramanujam Sivasubramanian BA, Dr Ponni Rajasekar MBBS, MRCP, Swami P.G. BE, MBA, Dr Muzafer M. H. MBBS, MS, FRCS, FICS, FICA, M.Sc., Dr Ravikumar S. G. B.E. Ph.D., Dr Sethuraman, MBBS, V Ravishankar, MBA are the other promoters who make up the top management of the Foundation.

A 200-bed hospital at T Nagar is the hub of the project. There will be satellite outreach clinics situated at strategic locations, to attract customers. WCF's broader vision includes starting a home for the aged, Para medical courses and so on.  The hospital will have all the facilities to handle any emergencies. High tech multi-professional labour wards, neonatal intensive care units, clinical laboratories, accident and emergency department, ambulance service and Blood banks will equip the hospital suitably to that end. In addition, it will also have out-patient departments, in-patient wards, pharmacy, community department, auditorium (to conduct cultural events, workshops and seminars), medical library and women's fitness and rehabilitation centre. The location for the hospital has in fact been chosen after extensive market research surveying over 2010 households in the area.

Chennaibest spoke to Ravishankar, one of the Directors of the project about WCF and its plans.  "The decision to locate the first hospital of WCF in Chennai was influenced by Chennai's reputation as an established "Regional Health Care Hub". We are trying to bring in the Western approach to medical healthcare in India.  'Painless Labour', 'Hormonal Replacement theory' are just a few of the things that we are planning to bring in.  The choice is given to the patients.  In the west, most women prefer to have painless labour where they are given a certain dose of 'laughing gas', which reduces the labour pain while delivering a child.  Hormonal Replacement Therapy can cure Ishaemic heart disease and osteoporosis, two major killers in aged women.  In India hormonal replacement is still unavailable to the masses.  These are just two of the many new concepts that we are bringing in."

WCF's main customers are women, adolescent children and young adults, young children under the age of fourteen, premature and neo-natal babies. WCF has developed packages and unique concepts to cater to these different target groups.  The 'Early Bird Clinic' is ideal for working women.  'Health Café' is a membership scheme, which provides complete healthcare and is a kind of one stop shop for all healthcare facilities and services.  'Health on Wheels' is yet another concept where a doctor will come to the doorstep of the patient.  It operates within a 2km radius from the hospital, between 8 am and 8 pm.

Ravishankar pointing out the service minded approach of WCF said, "It is like a no profit, no gain business.  We are not trying to give charity or make it commercial but somewhere in between.  I am proud to say that we provide consultation along with medication at just Rs 49/-.  That is just an example of how we are planning to provide our service and sustain it in such a way so that we can expand and establish more centres like these elsewhere in India".

WCF hopes to be fully operational by July 2005 and 2006 with more than 25 out reach satellite clinics.

Address: Women and Children Foundation Ltd., 4/1 and 4/2, Porur Somasundaram Street, North Usman Road, Chennai 600 017.
Phone: 823 8500, 820 6294 / 95 / 96.
E-mail: wcfchennai@hotmail.com
URL: www.wcf-india.com

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