India

With almost 1.4 billion inhabitants, India is the second most populous country in the world. With its high population density and high levels of poverty, India is home to more than half of all leprosy patients worldwide. Tuberculosis is another threat – a quarter of all the world’s TB patients live in India: approximately 3 million people. India is therefore at the top of the list of ‘high burden countries’ for tuberculosis.

Our impact in 2025

Care-after-cure in India: sustainable success

All too often, poverty and disease go hand-in-hand. When someone is struck by disease, it has far-reaching consequences for the patient and their family. The loss of a breadwinner or high medical costs can force a family into poverty in no time. Fortunately, Damien Foundation India, founded in 1964, can rely on a great deal of experience in terms of supporting patients.

Offering purely medical support is inadequate in many cases. Patients must be given the means to reintegrate fully into society. For this reason, Damien Foundation India provides funds for socio-economic support following recovery; what is called ‘care-after-cure’.

But how do you create a workable system that truly helps people progress without patronizing them?

“We used to provide support mainly in the form of food or cattle,” explains Dr Shivakumar. “This is a simple short-term solution but is not a sustainable basis for families. Food is shared among the villagers, and cattle are susceptible to diseases. Before you know it, patients are back on the streets with nothing. This is why we now talk to families to find out what income-generating activities can help them to progress in the longer term. Many patients talk to the people around them and then ask us for one-off financial support in setting up a shop or stall, according to their area of interest. What makes the difference is that people feel responsible for the success of their project. We notice that this works. An incredible 4 out of 5 patients we support in this way are able to make a successful new start. ”

Homemade energy drink: the Hyderabad mix

Typical symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing and fever, but also loss of appetite and weight loss. Multi-drug-resistant TB patients can often endure a disease process of many months or even years, sometimes resulting in a shockingly low BMI. In order to complete antibiotic treatment successfully, it’s important that patients regain their strength. This is no easy feat, as they often suffer from side effects such as nausea.

In order to help underweight TB patients, the teams in India developed their own ‘energy drink’. The so-called Hyderabad mix is a unique dietary supplement consisting of whole wheat, chickpeas, peanuts and cane sugar. Every day, patients mix the powder with water in order to consume the recommended daily amount of proteins. An interesting fact: as well as the positive effect on their recovery, patients also unanimously report that the blend is particularly delicious.