The new El Centro Regional Medical Center Outpatient Center will open Monday , May 7, 2012.

The Center , at 4th and Main streets in El Centro , has received the necessary state aprovals and will begin seeing patients. The oupatient center at Aurora and Imperial Avenue will close. The El Centro Clinic will feature specialties in Pediatrics, Adult Primary Care, General Surgery, Psychiatry, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, Pediatric Ear, Nose and Throat, Podiatry, Opthalmology, Cardiology, Neurology, Sleep Medicine, Pulmonary, Nephrology, Infectious Disease, Rheumatology and Diabetes. The Center will also offer lab and imaging services. An urgent care center, Express Care Center , will be available in the facility in the near future.

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The Joint Regional Planning Panel will consider the joint state and federal project, which is recommended for conditional approval, on Thursday.

If approved, the project will be built on the former Memorial Pool site near Raymond Terrace Bowling Club.

A report to the panel shows the two-storey Jacaranda Avenue development would operate between 8am and 10pm all week.

Services listed include community and oral health, private specialists and GPs as well as a long-awaited renal dialysis unit for the town.

Dialysis would be available between 7am and 11pm, catering for patients who have been forced to travel to Charlestown or Newcastle for treatment.

‘‘The Raymond Terrace area currently has 18 patients who travel to John Hunter Hospital or to the Wansey Centre for treatment,’’ the report says.

‘‘If all 18 patients are transferred to Raymond Terrace this will require six days of day shift and three days of afternoon shift.’’

Three submissions were made on the plan, raising concerns including its trading hours, traffic increases and devaluation of properties.

A 12-page schedule of almost 50 development conditions has been submitted to the panel, imposing protections for nearby jacaranda trees and requiring a public art feature.

The plan will go to the committee on May 10.

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An eight-year-old Indian boy who was constantly complaining of back pain and eye problems is now battling for life at Rashid Hospital, Dubai, while his family is seeking help to meet medical expenses.

Doctors were treating him for short sight and even increased the power of his lenses and prescribed medicines for back pain. Unfortunately the correct diagnosis came way too late for the child who is now in a critical state suffering from brain tumour.

The youngster's father, Sunil Kumar - an employee of Rich and Famous in Al Qouz - told 'Emirates24|7' that neurosurgeons have advised immediate surgery.

“Sourav is a third standard student of Indian High School Dubai. We never realised that he was suffering from such a serious ailment. He used to complain about severe back pain and eye problems and we consulted several doctors, who treated him for short sight. The power of his glass was enhanced recently, after we consulted a doctor in the city. In the last two months, he has been very weak and frequently vomited. We took him to a clinic, where he was treated for vomiting," said Kumar.

"Only a couple of days ago when the boy resumed severe vomiting and collapsed the family rushed him to Al Wasl Hospital, Dubai. Later a CT scan was done at Al Rashid Hospital and he was diagnosed with brain tumour."

[Click here to read about the only breadwinner caught between cancer and debt]

The shocked and sad father said: “We could have diagnosed his disease earlier, had we took his back pain complaints more seriously. He told us that the backpain could be because he was carrying a heavy school bag.”

His mother Vijayalaxmi, housewife, is equally shaterred.
 
Kumar said: "My salary is just Dh4,800 of which Dh1,800 goes for rent to our flat International City. The rest of the salary spend for his education and our regular expenses plus the installment for a home loan of Rs4 million back home. Now we don’t have any money to pay Dh50,000 immediately for his treatment. His teachers from the Indian High School, Dubai have collected a small amount and gave us. We expect more help from the community.” 

Souav's classmates and friends have also arranged a fund-raising campaign.

Immediate surgery is needed to remove the growing brain tumour and afterwards, he needs to undergo chemotherapy. “We cannot take him to India because doctors have adivised that he is not in a stage to travel. He is awake and conscious.

The family hails from Mariappally, Kottayam, Kerala. Those who wish to help the oy can contact teh family on 0505726096.

Chronically sick, debt-ridden kidney patient bailed out by Indian community

A chronically sick and debt ridden Indian expatriate living in Abu Dhabi for the last 14 years got a lease of life, thanks to the generosity of the Indian community members in the UAE who have responded to a humanitarian initiative launched by a Malayalam Radio Station in Dubai.

Khader Mon, 50, who has been working as a driver for the Mathanb Al Musaba General Transport in Abu Dhabi had lost hope in life as both his kidneys have been not functioning and was undergoing regular expensive dialysis.

Says Khader Mon, who has been jobless for the last ten months, due to his health conditions: “I have been a diabetic patient for the last ten years. All of a sudden my kidneys failed due to high blood pressure and I could not continue my job as a driver. I could work only two months after coming back from vacation last year.”

He said, a year ago, when he went to India for vacation, his small old house collapsed during heavy rains and he resorted to a bank loan of Dh50,000 to rebuild his house.

“I thought I will come back to Abu Dhabi and start repaying the loan at the rate of Dh1,000 per month, However, two months after coming back from vacation, I fell sick and could not continue my job or repay the loan, My company, friends and colleagues funded my food, accommodation and treatment for about five months, but they could not sustain it.”

“I got a great relief after an Indian Radio Station in Dubai, Radio Me, aired my grievances through their charity programme, Trust Me, and the programme anchor Leo Radhakrishnan, could bring in many philanthropists to help me. One Indian businessman donated money to repay my housing loan.

"The bank was preparing to take possession of my small house and five cents of land, the only asset I have made. My wife Rasia, 35 and three years old son are living there.”

 Thanks to the Radio Station and the generosity of Indian community in the UAE, my family can peacefully live in the house, even if I die.”

He said that following the radio programme aired recently, Indian Rs 200000 was credited to his bank account by various listeners, who contributed small amounts like Dh500, Dh 1000 to Dh 35000. Kerala Social Center in Abu Dhabi too collected an amount for my treatment, but that is not enough to cover the kidney transplantation.”

Says Leo, the anchor of Trust Me, a Charity programme, on Radio Me, the new Malayalam FM station from Dubai Studio City: “Trust Me’ is airing such cases and issues of the less privileged Indian expatriates.

"Our first story was of Khader Mon, who suffers from kidney failure, severe financial burdens and helth hazards. We aired this particular case on our station, 100.3 for quite a while and were surprised by the response we got.

“The Indian cooperative bank waived his interest amount and Indian Rupees 4,50000 was paid by a noble listener who did not wish to reveal his identity. Indian Rupees 3,00000 was deposited in his and his wives bank account and about Dh 16000 was collected by the Kerala Social Center Abu Dhabi.”

“Now my friend Ibrahim is trying to find a kidney donor. Earlier plan was that my wife would donate her kidney in Group B to a kidney bank and get a kidney in A Group that suits my body.

"However, doctors have said my wife’s kidney is also not suitable as she suffers from kidney stone disease. To get a new kidney from a donor I would need Dh70,000 The fund collected through Radio Programme is not enough to cover the entire expenses and further treatment,” he said.

“Till I get kidney transplantation, I have to undergo three dialysis per week and it is free now in Abu Dhabi as I am using my insurance card. Once I am back in India, the dialysis will be very expensive and till I complete my kidney transplantation, I have to undergo regular dialysis. I hoped to go back to India by end of March 2012. I am thankful to the Indian community members who helped me to raise this much money and hope my problems would be solved soon.”

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This is National Nurses Week, a time to pause and recognize the individuals who choose to practice the profession of nursing.

I have been exposed to a lifetime of nursing, both in my personal life and my profession. My mother, who raised my six siblings and me, worked as a nurse in her "spare time." She revealed to me at an early age the importance of both competence and caring. Her career spanned a number of health care settings, from hospitals to county health agencies. In these jobs, she cared for some of the sickest and poorest of patients. Wherever she worked, whether as a medical/surgical nurse, burn unit nurse, jail nurse, public health nurse or nurse manager, she always gave more than she received.

The attribute of giving is what I have admired most about the nursing profession throughout my 30-year career in health care. Regardless of the care setting, nurses possess a unique skill that allows them to understand the individual needs of others and to selflessly put those needs before their own. Time and again, nurses give much more than they receive in the process.

While on rounds at work, I frequently witness this attribute. I often watch in awe as nurses practice the art and science of their profession. I have seen them exhibit their special skills as they clinically intervene to restore health and save lives. I have witnessed their unique ability to greet and treat patients as if each one were their only priority that day. And I have marveled as I have seen them educate patients about their illness and lend emotional support as hardships are faced.

The special connection of nurses with their patients is often displayed in the sharing of a laugh, or a tear. At other times a nurse's concern is expressed simply in the eye contact they make that allays apprehension and lets patients know they are not alone.

In my role, I am privileged to be associated with more than 1,300 nurses who work in our various care settings and departments. What they and their co-workers accomplish makes me proud of what we do as a health care organization. Like our patients, I take comfort that their knowledge and devotion are always available to those in need.

That said, our organization is not alone in being endowed with nursing professionals who have these attributes. Our region is fortunate to have hundreds more working in other hospital, nursing home, physician office and home care settings, and in educational settings where new nurses are being trained.

I am sure most residents of our region have been positively affected by a nurse at some point in their lives. This week is a good opportunity for all of us to recognize nurses for the work they do, the results they achieve and the way they give more than they receive.

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