Sambhavna Trust

The Sambhavna Trust, or Bhopal People's Health and Documentation Clinic, is a charitable trust run by a group of doctors, scientists, writers and social workers who have been involved with various aspects of the Union Carbide disaster (Bhopal disaster) in Bhopal, India, ever since its occurrence in December 1984.

The trust registered in 1995, and the clinic opened in 1996. The new clinic opened in 2005.

The main funds for Sambhavna are raised in United Kingdom and USA. The work is directed by six national trustees. An International Advisory Group provides long-term support.

Sambhavna is a Sanskrit/Hindi word which means "possibility". Read as "sama" and "bhavna" it means "similar feelings" or "compassion".

Services

• Clinical services to gas-affected survivors: Allopathic internal medicine, gynaecology and psychiatry; ayurvedic treatment including herbs, steam baths, yoga and massage; a dispensary with Ayurvedic drugs and allopathic “essential drugs”; and a laboratory, for haematology, biochemistry, microscopy, cytology, ECG and spirometria.

• Administrative support: Registration; personal identity documents for every patient; a record system; patient-owned health booklets; computerised patient data and data analysis; an economy department.

• Community work: General health education, health information for women, and finding and supporting tuberculosis patients in gas-affected areas; health education and support to inhabitants in water-polluted areas; verbal autopsy.

• Library: All kind of material on the Bhopal disaster as well as chemical pollution.

• Studies: Surveys on different subjects in gas-affected areas; small studies on effects on patients of different treatments.

• Volunteers: Opportunities for students and others from all countries to take part in the work.

Material from Sambhavna

Medical

• Gupta A, Durgvanshi S. Yoga therapy in the care of chronic respiratory disorders among survivors of the December 1984 Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal. Presentation at the 3rd International Conference on "Yoga Research Traditions", Kaivalyadhjama, Lonavia, 1–4 Jan 1999.
• Gupta A, Durgavanshi S, Eckerman I. Effects of Yoga Practices for Respiratory Disorders related to the Union Carbide Gas Disaster in 1984 Presentation at the World Congress of Asthma on 19 October 1999
• Menstrual Problems Reported by Teenagers Registered at Sambhavna Clinic. Bhopal: Sambhavna Trust, 2000.
• Carlsten C. Critical Issues in Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Presentations in Bhopal India. Bhopal: Sambhavna Trust, 2000.
• Ranjan N et al. Methyl Isocyanate Exposure and Growth Patterns of Adolescents in Bhopal JAMA 2003;290:1856–57
• Assessing Exposure to Toxic Gases in Bhopal (Response) JAMA 2004;291:422

Other

• The Bhopal Gas Tragedy 1984 – ? A report from the Sambhavna Trust, Bhopal, India. Bhopal: Bhopal People's Health and Documentation Clinic (1998)
• Dinham B, Sarangi S (2002). "The Bhopal gas tragedy 1984 – ? The evasion of corporate responsibility". Environment&Urbanization. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/42335332/The-Bhopal-gas-tragedy-1984-to-The-evasion-of.  2002:14;89-99

References

• Bhopal Medical Appeal and Sambhavna Trust Clinic
• Eckerman, Ingrid (2001). "Chemical Industry and Public Health – Bhopal as an example" (PDF). http://www.lakareformiljon.org/images/stories/dokument/2009/bhopal_gas_disaster.pdf.  Essay for MPH.
• Eckerman, Ingrid (2004). The Bhopal Saga – Causes and Consequences of the World's Largest Industrial Disaster. India: Universities Press. ISBN 81-7371-515-7. http://www.eckerman.nu/default.cfm?page=The%20Bhopal%20Saga. 
• Eckerman, Ingrid. "Combining "complementary medicine" with western medicin – do we gain something?" (PDF). http://www.lakareformiljon.org/images/stories/dokument/2009/ayurveda_at_sambhavna_2006.pdf.  Poster at 12th Regional Conference of Wonca Europe Florence, Italy 27–30 August 2006

See also

• Bhopal disaster The Union Carbide Gas Tragedy in Bhopal, India 1984
• International Medical Commission on Bhopal (IMCB) 1994
• The Bhopal Medical Appeal and Sambhavna Trust