THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Many dialysis patients have been in the lurch due to the pandemic. To help them, NSS unit students of the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, who are part of the Student Initiative in Palliative Care (SIP) units, in association with the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) has launched Prathyasha 2.0, an initiative that provides financial help to dialysis patients in distress. Mayor Arya Rajendran inaugurated the second phase of the programme.
Through Prathyasha 2.0, the students plan to help at least 82 patients. “This year, the drive is being organised at the state level. Colleges under KTU are requested to contribute and help identify the beneficiaries,” says Surabhi S, a SIP coordinator and student. Althaf Rasheed is the other SIP coordinator. Initiated last year as part of the 80th-anniversary celebrations of the college, the SIP unit collected `1,200 from each class and supported 84 patients undergoing dialysis in 2020.
The concept was originally launched in 2019 by Babu Abraham, senior advocacy manager and Abubaker Siddique, community organiser of charitable trust Pallium India. “We identified beneficiaries from across the state with the help of student volunteers, panchayats members and health workers. We handed over the financial aid directly or through Anganwadi workers,” adds Surabhi.
Patients’ details will be collected using Google Forms. So far, the University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha, and MES College of Engineering, Kuttipuram, have made donations to Prathyasha 2.0.
Students from CET are also organising a hair donation campaign for cancer patients. So far, they have made more than 20 donations.