<p>M-Friends Charitable Trust will complete 1,000 days of its ‘Karunya’ programme of serving food for the attendants of poor patients at Government Wenlock District Hospital on Monday.</p>.<p>Trust member Rasheed Vitla said, “We will enter the third year with our charity programme of serving food for attendants of poor patients and others at the Wenlock Hospital. The trust has been serving dinner not only for patients’ attendants but also for the relatives who visit the patients. Uninterrupted food was supplied even during curfew, Section 144, bandh, and Covid-19 induced lockdown with the help of donors.”</p>.<p>The 1,000-bed hospital has been getting patients hailing from economically backward sections not only from Dakshina Kannada but also from Udupi, Kodagu, Hassan, Vijayapura, Chikkamagaluru, Raichur, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Davangere and neighbouring Kasargod district of Kerala.</p>.<p>Though the hospital serves food for the patients, those accompanying the patients are left to fend for themselves. As a result, patients and attendants were sharing the food offered to them.</p>.<p>On noticing several attendants of poor patients begging in streets, the trust decided to start Karunya programme, said Rasheed.</p>.<p>The trust is spending Rs 2.5 lakh per month for the ambitious programme with the help of donors. The volunteers of the trust serve food near the Burns Centre of the hospital daily at 6 pm.</p>.<p>After the hospital was converted to a designated Covid hospital, the food was handed over to the hospital kitchen to be served among the attendants of the patients, he added.</p>.<p>Earlier, coupons were distributed inside the wards in advance. An average of 400 to 500 people used to avail the benefit of the programme daily.</p>.<p>The menu comprises of <em>chapati-gasi</em>, or <em>idli-tove</em>, or<em> semige </em>and <em>sambar</em>. Biriyani, sweets and fruits are served on special occasions.</p>.<p>M-Friends has 55 like-minded people as its members. Initially, it was started as a WhatsApp group on January 23, 2013. Later, a trust was formed to help the poor.</p>
<p>M-Friends Charitable Trust will complete 1,000 days of its ‘Karunya’ programme of serving food for the attendants of poor patients at Government Wenlock District Hospital on Monday.</p>.<p>Trust member Rasheed Vitla said, “We will enter the third year with our charity programme of serving food for attendants of poor patients and others at the Wenlock Hospital. The trust has been serving dinner not only for patients’ attendants but also for the relatives who visit the patients. Uninterrupted food was supplied even during curfew, Section 144, bandh, and Covid-19 induced lockdown with the help of donors.”</p>.<p>The 1,000-bed hospital has been getting patients hailing from economically backward sections not only from Dakshina Kannada but also from Udupi, Kodagu, Hassan, Vijayapura, Chikkamagaluru, Raichur, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Davangere and neighbouring Kasargod district of Kerala.</p>.<p>Though the hospital serves food for the patients, those accompanying the patients are left to fend for themselves. As a result, patients and attendants were sharing the food offered to them.</p>.<p>On noticing several attendants of poor patients begging in streets, the trust decided to start Karunya programme, said Rasheed.</p>.<p>The trust is spending Rs 2.5 lakh per month for the ambitious programme with the help of donors. The volunteers of the trust serve food near the Burns Centre of the hospital daily at 6 pm.</p>.<p>After the hospital was converted to a designated Covid hospital, the food was handed over to the hospital kitchen to be served among the attendants of the patients, he added.</p>.<p>Earlier, coupons were distributed inside the wards in advance. An average of 400 to 500 people used to avail the benefit of the programme daily.</p>.<p>The menu comprises of <em>chapati-gasi</em>, or <em>idli-tove</em>, or<em> semige </em>and <em>sambar</em>. Biriyani, sweets and fruits are served on special occasions.</p>.<p>M-Friends has 55 like-minded people as its members. Initially, it was started as a WhatsApp group on January 23, 2013. Later, a trust was formed to help the poor.</p>