Stoma Care Clinic and Ostomate Club were inaugurated at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) here on Saturday. It was inaugurated at Stoma Care Con – 15’ an event held at the Coimbatore Medical College.
Head of the Department of Surgical Oncology, CMCH, and Organising Secretary of the conference A. Suresh Venkatachalam said that rehabilitation of Ostomates is more important than performing surgeries for cancer victims to remove colon cancer, as the patients are emotionally and psychologically upset before and after the surgery.
“They also face difficulty in performing their day to day activities with a bag attached to their abdomen area - after the colon is closed,” he said and added that the clinic and club are aimed at helping Ostomates to network for rehabilitation. Dr. Venkatachalam told The Hindu that the club would function at the Oncology Block of CMCH from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on all Saturdays. He said that the clinic would serve as a platform where Ostomates would share problems faced by them – such as leakage, skin ulcer, sexual problems and smell – and how the others were successful in overcoming them and are able to lead a normal life. “In the long run these positive Ostomates will be used for counselling persons suffering from colon cancer,” he added. Dr. Venkatachalam said that one could become a member of the club by paying a lifetime membership fees of Rs. 200. Members from financially backward families would be provided with colostomy kit (human waste disposal kits) free of cost on an annual basis. These kits would or else cost Rs. 2,000 a year for an Ostomate.
Honorary Secretary of Ostomates India – an Ostomy Rehabilitation Centre – M.N. Manohar who took part in the conference said that he has been an Ostomate for 37 years and recalled his experiences in counselling and rehabilitating Ostomates over the years.
He said that there are about a lakh Ostomates in the country and that there were about 10,000 of them who are members of their organisation that has 12 branches across the country. In Tamil Nadu there are Ostomate Clubs functioning at Chennai, Vellore, Madurai and now at Coimbatore.
Ostomates who want to enrol in the club or want to know more about it can call the centre here at 95004 50613.
