Community-based pediatric rehabilitation in India

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Investigator: Mitul Kapadia, MD, MPH

Location(s): India

Description

A billion people in the world, 15% of the population, have a disability severe enough that it limits their participation in family, community and political life. Eighty percent of those billion people live in low and middle-income countries, where often access to basic health and social services is limited for all citizens. Some of my work has been focused on this emerging issue. 

My global health focus has been on developing a rural community-based program in rural Karnataka, India working with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) in India and the Bay Area non-profit Global Strategies. In addition to frequent extended site visits, I have been a collaborating with numerous residents, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. Additionally, I am currently an Advisory Circle member for Child Family Health International (CFHI), a non-profit organization supporting international education programs and community health initiatives. I recently helped develop a medical elective at our site in Sargur, India.  I am also a medical advisor for Watsi.org which microfinances global health needs and for the NGO Jivdaya for their amputee assistance program in India.   I regularly meet with UCSF pediatric residents and medical students interested in global health projects. I help facilitate clinical rotations and project guidance during and after their global health experiences. I have given conference talks to the pediatric residence on my work in India and on medical ethics in global health. I also helped develop the Pediatric Global Health Interest Group, including creation of a new website with resources to support the initiative. I was recently a part of the Global Implementation Working Group for the Preterm Birth Initiative and helped developed priorities for this grant in the East African context.  

 

I am very much interested in continuing to combine my passion for global health with my work at UCSF in. I have a keen interest in working with students and trainees in developing interest and career guidance in global health.