Month: December 2022

In order to take care of the healthcare needs of the population Smile Foundation intervened and launched a Smile on Wheels project in Mumbai with support from Ericsson India Global Services. The key issues were identified and were found to be raising population in the slums, poor health and sanitation and no access to medical facilities. This called for an approach which would not only address the health care needs of the population but also enlighten them of the benefits of healthy practises. The 10 targeted locations are Dawari Nagar, Hanuman Tekdi, DyaneshwarNagar, Khar Danda, Filmcity, Nirmal Nagar, Kalina, Mahakali, Dindoshi and Malwani of Mumbai.

To address the urgent healthcare needs of the neglected populace in Gurgaon, Smile Foundation launched Smile on Wheels mobile hospital programme, with the support of Ericsson India Global Services Pvt. Ltd. on 9th October.

The project provides doorstep preventive, curative and promotive healthcare facilities in 11 slum communities spread throughout the city including Ghata village, Basai slum, Sarai village, and Rajiv Nagar, which have been identified as the most downtrodden areas.

Various disease patterns have been detected and successfully treated in the population ranging from diarrhoea, arthritis and skin infections to more serious ailments. Other than this, special awareness sessions are held from time to time on important health related issues for the people. Community mobilizers and volunteers make regular home visits and conduct follow ups of the treatment given. ANC and PNC are essential priorities of the project centred on making mothers and children healthier.

The SoW team has been working tirelessly and the project has already begun to show positive results. The community has become aware of and responsive to its healthcare needs and women are now no more hesitant to avail the health counselling and services.

Smile Foundation in collaboration with Ericsson India Global Services Pvt. Ltd. initiated the Smile on Wheels mobile hospital programme in Noida from 10th September 2015 in 15 identified villages and slums of the city to ensure better healthcare facilities for the disadvantaged migrant population.

Apart from taking preventive and curative healthcare to the doorsteps of people through regular OPDs, pathological test facilities and distribution of free of cost medicine, the project spreads awareness in the community through innovative methods like school programmes on personal hygiene and nutrition. Street plays, songs and interesting audio visuals are used to inform the people in an engaging and interesting way.

The main focus of the programme is on women and children who are most prone to health problems, communicable diseases and infections. The project has received unprecedented support from the community and has witnessed marked increase in the number of volunteers from the community in a very short span of time.

Smile Foundation, aiming to address the problems of the destitute urban population of the city living in unhygienic slum conditions, launched its Smile on Wheels programme in Kolkata on 6th October 2015, with the support of Ericsson India Global Services Pvt. Ltd.

The mobile hospital programme is providing services to 20 slum localities including Patharghata, Kashinathpur, MurariPukur Judge Bagan, Bonomalipur, Goabagan, and Sardarpara.

With the existing gender inequalities negatively impacting the health of women and children, and most of the women being wage labourers or domestic workers ignorant to their necessary healthcare needs, SoW is paying special focus to maternal health aspects such as antenatal and prenatal check-ups and reproductive care.

Apart from regular medical checkups, various pathological tests like Haemoglobin, Dengue, and Malaria etc. are conducted when needed. In addition to this, awareness activities are conducted in small groups for women, adolescents etc., along with individual sessions and family meetings on health, hygiene and family planning.

The SoW project team is working efficiently with a good number of volunteers for more effective results. The community people are appreciative of the project and actively participate in all activities.

Smile Foundation launched Smile on Wheels in Chennai on 15th Oct’15, with support from Ericsson India Global Services Pvt. Ltd. The project provides doorstep healthcare services to 11 slum areas in the city including Mattuankuppam, Nadukuppam, Ayodyakuppam, Mullikupam, Nuchikuppam, Doominjkuppam, Bharathikuppam, Selvarajapuram, Nambikinagar and Burma colony.

The mobile hospital project provides access to facilities like OPDs, lab tests, free of cost medicines, along with preventive and promotive measures and awareness programmes, to create a sense of healthy living, sanitation and hygiene among the underprivileged masses. Rare cases are referred to specialised hospitals and healthcare centres for further treatment.

In slum communities, the poor living conditions lead to spread of chronic ailments and infectious diseases which further lead to adverse effects on the overall health of the family, with women and children being more vulnerable. Hence, maternal and child healthcare are an important aspect of the project.

Smile Foundation in collaboration with Union Bank of India Social Foundation Trust, has been working to provide the much needed helping hand so that life in the disaster-hit regions can regain its momentum.

Launched in April 2014, the project includes conducting health check-up camps in villages and setting up Static Health Clinics. The project delivers free curative, preventive and promotive health services in the flood hit-areas. Active in 23 villages of Block – Ukhimath of Rudraprayag district, the project has around 11,500 direct beneficiaries. The project also includes regular awareness activities to enlighten the village folks with the importance of health and hygiene. These programmes are attended by both men and women. According to a survey by Smile, of the several diseases prevalent in the rural areas, 46% were preventable. This called for strong preventive measures in order to ensure that villagers follow practices that allow them to stay clear of these diseases. Those diagnosed with diseases are provided effective treatment for free.

With the aim of ensuring good health of the downtrodden population of Bangalore, Smile Foundation has joined hands with ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group). With their support, Smile Foundation is extending its healthcare services to over 20 slums across the city including Gorguntepalya, Nandini Layout, Indiranagar WC Road, Nayandanahalli, Agrahara Dasarhalli, Sanjaygandhinagar, Sumanahalli, Laggere and Kengeri. Under its Smile on Wheels mobile hospital programme, a wide range of preventive, promotive and curative health services are provided at the doorstep of men, women and children residing in these slums.

The Mobile Hospital Unit is self-contained with all the necessary lab equipment along with audio visual aids and a team of medical experts to provide medical consultation, diagnosis, medicines and lab testing facilities to the beneficiaries. Besides free-of-cost healthcare services, different IEC activities like street plays, community meetings and health talks are conducted under the supervision of a Project Coordinator to sensitise the slum dwellers on nutrition, general hygiene and other essentials for good health. Pregnant women, being the ‘high-risk’ group, are given special attention through special interactions on ANC/PNC, immunization, breastfeeding, newborn care and family planning. Smile Foundation also facilitates referral services to beneficiaries to connect the underserved communities in Bangalore with the government.

Studies have shown that access to good healthcare not just improves the health of the poor and destitute, but also leads them to a dignified living. Lack of it, on the other hand, deteriorates their diseased condition leading to higher mortality rates. In an endeavour to save lives and improve the quality of life of the underprivileged in Ahmedabad, Smile Foundation has joined hands with Deutsche Bank. Under this intervention, Smile Foundation is rendering its preventive, promotive and curative health services in 14 slums across the city including Gomtipur, Rakhial, Nagari Mill Ki Chali, Soni Ki Chali and CMC Mill.

Through its unique mobile hospital programme Smile on Wheels, Smile Foundation is delivering primary healthcare solutions at the doorstep of families and children living under constant threat of water borne and vector borne diseases. This mobile hospital is staffed with a Doctor, Nurse, Pharmacist and Lab Technician to provide medical consultation, diagnosis, testing facilities and medicines to beneficiaries. There is also a Community Mobilizer on board who is responsible for enhancing health-seeking behaviour among slum communities through street plays, counselling sessions, audio-visual shows and other such IEC activities. Considering the increasing number of maternal and infant deaths, special meetings are conducted for women on diet and nutrition, ANC/PNC and immunization.

With the aim of catering to the healthcare needs of underprivileged families and children, Smile Foundation has launched its Smile on Wheels (SoW) programme in Hyderabad with the support of Open Text. Under this initiative, 12 slums have been identified as target areas including N.T.R Nagar, Indira Nagar, Yellamma Banda, Singareni Colony, Suraram Weaker Section Colony, Shiridi Sai Baba Nagar, Raj Nagar, Narsing Bagwan Temple Nagar, Anjaiah Nagar, Giri Nagar and Sanjay Gandhi Nagar. With a team of medical experts, this mobile van provides all-inclusive healthcare services right at the doorstep of people residing in the aforementioned areas.

Besides rendering promotive, preventive and curative services, the Smile on Wheels conducts a variety of IEC activities and organises regular health camps to reach out to the communities and sensitise them on nutrition and everyday hygiene. It also lays special emphasis on the health of pregnant women and infants through community meetings that cover essential women-related issues like childbirth, ANC/PNC, breastfeeding, immunization and family planning.

In this time of need, Smile Foundation has partnered with Deutsche Bank to serve the destitute population of Ludhiana. Jugiana, Shrabha Pind, Pratappura, Jamalpur, Tajpur Road, Fatehpur and Mandi Ahmedgarh are among the 18 slum settlements in Ludhiana where Smile Foundation is rendering primary healthcare services under this intervention. Supported by Deutsche Bank, its mobile hospital programme Smile on Wheels has successfully made medical care accessible and affordable for the underprivileged families and children who are vulnerable to health risks.

Besides delivering preventive, promotive and curative services at the doorstep of beneficiaries, Smile Foundation develops a bridging network between them and the public healthcare system through referrals. Special measures are taken to reach out to the neglected strata of urban poor society through health campaigns and community meetings addressing women-related issues, such as childbirth, ANC/PNC, maternal and infant nutrition, immunization and family planning.

Several IEC activities like street plays and audio visual shows are also conducted to encourage health-seeking behaviour in people and sensitise them about basic hygiene and healthy living.