Flanking the van are Sh. Raju Ingale, GM, Cadbury India (left) and Sh. Shivajee Rao Adhal Rao Patil. MP (right), with other guests

Sevadham Trust is one of the partners of Smile Foundation for Smile on Wheels programme. The organization has been working in the fields of healthcare, education and socio-economic development for the rural and tribal populace particularly in the district of Pune for 25 years now.

Sevadham Trust and Smile Foundation launched Smile on Wheels programme for Maharashtra on 8th of July 2006 through by a function at Talegaon, 40 kms from Pune. Rural and tribal population around Talegaon is the beneficiaries under Smile on Wheels.

Shri Shivajee Rao Adhal Rao Patil. Member of Parliament graced the launch ceremony as the Chairman. Shri Raju Ingale, General Manager, Cadbury India was the Chief Guest for the occasion. Guests of Honour included Shri Digambar Bhegde, MLA, Shri Krishna Rao Bhegde, ex-MLA and Smt. Rooplekha Dhore, ex-MLA. Other guests were

Shri Amit Kumar Banerjee, Director, SAMPARC, Shri Alexander Koshy, SAMPARC, Doctors from Talegaon hospital and local Panchayat Leaders and villagers. Dr. S. V. Gore, Managing Trustee, Sevadham Trust received the guests on behalf of both the partners, along with Smile representative.

Dr. Gore praised Smile Foundation for conceiving an innovative concept like Smile on Wheels. The Member of Parliament thanked Smile for choosing the area for the programme’s intervention.

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.

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.

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.