| Mobile Health Care in Uttaranchal Slums
 |
Ms.
Kanchan Choudhry Bhattacharya, DGP–Uttaranchal,
arriving for the launch ceremony |
Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF), one
of the partners under Smile on Wheels programme in
Uttaranchal. ACF and Smile Foundation are reaching
out to needy villages in Haridwar district through
this programme.
The Health Department of the Government of Uttaranchal
has also been appreciative of the unique programme
for the state. It has extended full cooperation and
has expressed participation to make it a success.
SMILE FOUNDATION had launched 'SMILE ON WHEELS',
its national level multi-centric mobile hospital programme
named in New Delhi on June 19, 2006. Ms. Sheila Dikshit,
Chief Minister of Govt. of NCT of Delhi inaugurated
the programme and handed over the keys to various
partner organizations of Smile Foundation. She also
flagged off the mobile vans at Delhi Secretariat.
Five vans were flagged off in the
first phase of Smile-on-Wheels with projected health
coverage for 7.5 lakhs people in 249 identified villages
across five Indian states. Five partner NGOs received
the vans, who come from as many states such as Orissa,
Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Maharasthra.
The five NGO's are Sevadham Trust
(Pune, Maharashtra), Berojgar Mahila Sewa Samiti (Bhilai,
Chhattisgarh), Orissa Institute of Medical Research
and Health Services (Cuttack, Orissa), Ambuja Cement
Foundation (Roorkee, Uttaranchal), and Suraj Hospital
(Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh). These NGO's will access deserving
villages where no governmental health services exist.
The van will cover the vicinity of 20-50 kms from
its center and will visit 2-3 villages a day on a
regular basis.
Partnership
with Ambuja Cement Limited and Annual
Report (2006-07)
Ambuja
Cement Foundation is a partner of Smile
Foundation under ‘Smile on Wheels’
programme. The initiative provides basic
health services at the doorstep of needy
people in the rural belt of Roorkee
and Haridwar in Uttarakhand state. The
beneficiaries include the population
who either do not have access to health
care services or are too poor to afford
it.
Excerpt
from Ambuja Cement Limited Annual
Report (2006-07), Section ‘Health’,
Page No. 114 :
“To
provide access to basic health services,
we have started a mobile health dispensary.
Smile Foundation, New Delhi, has provided
a fully equipped mobile health van.
ACF signed an MOU with Smile Foundation
and the van was flagged off at New Delhi
by the Hon’ble Chief Minister
of Delhi. The van was launched at Roorkee
by the Director General of Police, Uttarakhand.
Our mobile health van covers eight villages;
during the year, 9,026 patients from
these villages were treated”.
Smile Foundation launched the programme
as part of its endeavour to introduce healthcare awareness
and contemporary health care services seeking behavior
among the rural masses and the underprivileged.
Under this programme, Smile's aim
is to run a fleet of 30 fully equipped mobile medical
vans in collaboration with NGO's and local administration
in the next two years, reaching out to over 35-40
lakh beneficiaries.
The services provided are OPD, Ante-natal/post-natal
services, identification of difficult pregnancy and
referral for institutional care, Immunization- Mother
& children, Minor surgery, BP examination, X-ray,
ECG, First Aid, Distribution of Iron Folic tablets,
Vit-A Prophylaxis, Treatment of mal-nutrient cases,
etc. |
Project
Update
Smile
On Wheels, Roorkee run by Ambuja Cement
Foundation covers ten villages; covering more than
32000population .from July, 2006 to August
2007, 15271 patients from these villages were
treated.
Under
two different Rural Mobile health camps
4166 patients were treated . One of these camps
were done in collaboration with NABARD
Medical
check –up of students were done
in primary schools where 835 students
were checked and provided with medicines
Eye
camps and gynaecological camp were organized
in village Sikanderpur and Sirchandi. Where
159 patients of Sikanderpur and 95 Sirchandi
were given treatment
ACM
also supported the health Department/WHO in
successful organization of the pulse polio campaign
in the high risk villages with SOW . As the
result, 25760 children were provided with polio
vaccines. Special polio drive was undertaken
for the brick kiln workers in the Landhora area;
85 brick kiln were covered.
Till
today ACMS foundation has utilized Smile On
Wheels facilities to conduct -182 camps
and gave health services to 44877 Patient
of the outreach villages they constantly
serve
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