SMILE
ON WHEELS
Healthcare goes mobile - and rural ! |
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'Smile
on Wheels' has been envisaged as a national level project
aimed at providing basic healthcare services to underprivileged
communities living in rural areas, urban slums or in the proximity
of cities and towns. Special attention is given to children
and women.
The project incorporates mobile vans fitted with quality medical
equipment - and manned by qualified doctors and paramedics
- that are on the road 24 days
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month, touring rural areas around the urban centres where they
are based. The vehicles are modified Tempo Travellers, customized
for delivery of varied preventive and palliative healthcare. |
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Typically,
a 'Smile on Wheels' van has the following systems and hardware
on board:
• Portable X-ray unit
• Portable ECG unit
• Basic lab/analysis equipment for pathological examination
• Nebulizer * First aid kit
• Mini chiller/refrigerator
• Oxygen cylinder
• IV fluid transfusion kit
• Examination table
• Fire extinguisher
• Wash basin
• Intercom linking driver and medical team.
Thus equipped, the vans make these
services possible:
• X-ray and ECG examination
• Blood/urine tests
• Curative medication for common ailments
• Ante- and post-natal support
• Identification of challenging pregnancies for referral
to medical institutions
• Health education & family planning orientation:
including distribution of
condoms & oral contraceptives, insertion of
IUDs, etc.
• Immunization of mothers & children
• Treatment of malnutrition and growth disorders
• Minor surgery and dressing of cuts/wounds
• Distribution of Iron Folic tablets, Vitamin A prophylaxis,
etc.
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Smile Foundation intends to have a fleet of 30 such exclusive
vans fully operational in the near future.
Once mobile, these are expected to cover a population of nearly
40 lakh people.
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An
inspiring first phase : SoW-ing the seeds of success
The
'Smile on Wheels' programme has been successfully launched
in five states in the initial phase : Orissa, Chhatisgarh,
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
In
each state, the Smile Foundation has partnered with a reputed
local NGO or development institution to access villages where
no governmental health services exist. These include the Sevadham
Trust (based in Pune, Maharashtra); Berojgar Mahila Sewa Samiti
(Bhilai, Chhatisgarh); Orissa Institute of Medical Research
& Health Services (Cuttack, Orissa); Ambuja Cement Foundation
(Roorkee, Uttarakhand); Suraj Hospital (Kanpur, UP).
The
SoW vans have been given a designated coverage area of up
to 50 km radius around its base city/town. This usually places
12 to 15 villages under its jurisdiction. Every day, the vehicle
is expected to touch 2-3 villages - and provide committed
medical support to all the concerned villages throughout the
month.
The
project has received enthusiastic response from the beneficiaries
in each state. People have found the vans to be a true blessing:
that fill a crying need for a service of this kind. They no
longer have to trudge miles, spend hours or invest their limited
funds to be treated at the nearest healthcare centre. They
have found a professional and safe alternative to the local
quacks. And their attitude towards healthcare has changed
as well.
Besides
the outreach success, the 'Smile on Wheels' project has also
seen the organization of regular health check-up camps in
the villages, including those for schoolchildren.
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(Quotes
from SOW beneficiaries and participants)
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"Prior
to the Smile on Wheels van, we were dependent
on bullock carts to take our patients 3 to 5 hours
before treatment could start. Now treatment starts
within the first half an hour and we don't have
to go anywhere, thanks to Smile on Wheels."
--
Rambhau Bhagwat, Nigade
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"We
have identified some villages as 'Smile on Wheels
villages' and given them a special ambulance facility
in emergencies, on local charge rates. This has
proved very useful for them."z
--
Dr SV Gore, Managing Trustee, Sevadham
Trust
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"The
poor economic condition of the people doesn't
permit them to avail the services provided by
the Medical College in Cuttack. But the Smile
on Wheels van has diminished the health problem
of our area… the equipment is operated by
experienced and efficient doctors… the patients
are under proper supervision of the health workers
till recovery."
--
Keshab Chandra Lal, Orissa
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"The
vans serve the outreach communities at their doorstep
and provide services irrespective of sex, caste
and creed."
--
Shreedhar Barik, Orissa
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"The
SoW programme is definitely reducing the childhood
morbidity, and the resuscitation cum incubation
kit is very useful to save the life of the baby."
--
Dr Pradeep Mishra, paediatrician
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"Even
the village women and girls are expressing their
health problems without any hesitation. Special
attention is given to women, especially pregnant
women, as well as children who were deprived of
quality services due to transportation problem.
--
Janaki Devi, paramedical staff
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"SoW
is very helpful in providing timely health services
in our village. Earlier we used to ignore our
diseases, but now we get timely treatment."
--
Javed, Sikanderpur, UP
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"The
awareness sessions conducted for adolescent girls
have promoted better hygienic and health practices
among them. The change in their behaviour and
attitude is visible." --
Parmita, Anganwadi worker, UP
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