Medical camps help hundreds in India

Christians in India have helped hundreds of people access medical treatment through weekend medical camps.

Around 300 people visited the weekend medical camps set up by anti-poverty movement Micah Challenge India.

The camps were set up in Dwarka, near Delhi, and served by doctors who gave up their annual leave to attend patients and give out health advice.

Micah Challenge India organised the camps as part of its advocacy work calling upon the Indian government to play its part in meeting the Millennium Development Goals to halve extreme poverty by 2015.

David Jayakumar, Head of Micah Challenge India, and a local church leader, said: "The medical camp has taken lots of organising but it has been worth it.

“It’s a practical way to show God’s love. Often, the church in India is criticised for doing things only as an excuse for evangelism. But the camp allows us to demonstrate the gospel.

"One of the doctors was a Hindu, delighted to use a day’s leave to see 176 patients. He dealt with infections, wounds and coughs caused by the unclean water and festering rubbish dump.

"There was also evidence of long-term poverty in the malnourished look of the children.

"This was a great success and we plan to do the same again, but bigger and better."

Amanda Jackson, Head of Micah Challenge campaigns across the world, said: "Churches have been thinking of practical ways to show God’s love and justice, taking church into the streets where the poorest live.

"This medical camp is one example of hundreds of projects taking place across the world to advocate for the poor."