Bhubaneswar: A meal for children without families to return to, ration for an orphanage and food for elderly people living in shelter homes. For 11 MBBS students in Sundargarh, caring for people is no longer limited to what they learn in hospital wards.Students of Govt Medical College and Hospital, Sundargarh, have come together under an initiative, Seba Sadan, to reach out to vulnerable sections of society. From organising free health camps to providing food and essential supplies, the group is trying to make a difference with whatever resources it can mobilise.Their activities began earlier this year with a visit to Kalpataru home, a local orphanage, where they provided a free lunch and ration for the children. The experience made them realise that the needs of people they wanted to help went beyond a single meal.“Looking at these children, we realised that the needs of society extend far beyond food. It was also an opportunity to connect with them and offer a sense of care and belonging,” said Akash Raiguru, a final-year MBBS student who coordinates the group’s activities.The students are also organising free health camps and arranging food for elderly people at shelter homes. Their aim is to reach people who may otherwise struggle to access basic healthcare and support.“As medical students, we are constantly learning about health, disease and the importance of caring for people. We felt this sense of care should extend beyond hospital walls and reach those who may be neglected, vulnerable or unable to access basic support,” Raiguru said.Seba Sadan brings together Dipti Ranjan Jena, Antarjyami Behera, Pratyush Swagat Sahu, Abhishek Sahoo, Gyanaranjan Mallick, Satyabrat Mallick, Biswadeep Das, Aditya Singh, Ranjit Samal, Pankaj Sahoo and Sriram Bhuyan. The initiative, they said, is guided by the motto ‘Seva, Sneha, Samarpan’ (service, affection and dedication).The group funds its activities through contributions from its members and fellow MBBS students of the college. Working within their means, the students hope to widen their reach with support from like-minded people and well-wishers, while maintaining transparency in the use of funds.They are planning more visits to orphanages and old-age homes, besides exploring ways to help underprivileged families and children through healthcare assistance, food support and education.Finding time for these activities alongside classes, examinations and clinical duties is not always easy. Hence, the students have planned their initiatives periodically so they can continue serving without compromising their medical education.For them, the work is closely linked to the profession they are preparing to enter. Learning to treat illness, they believe, must go hand in hand with understanding the people behind it.
