Healthcare At Doorsteps: Mobile Medical Vans Continue To Reach Out To Rural Areas In Sundargarh

Rourkela: Started four years back as an experiment to reach out to the inaccessible and remotest areas to provide healthcare services, the Mobile Medical Vans in Sundargarh district have today become an inseparable part of the healthcare delivery mechanism. These Mobile Medical Vans equipped with all the requisite resources make trips to the villages particularly in the mining areas to provide primary healthcare. Twenty five Medical Vans engaged by the district administration reach out to people in all the 17 Blocks and more than 100 Gram Panchayats of Sundargarh. A team of Doctor, Nurse, Pharmacist travel in the Medical Van to the remote villages to treat minor ailments, communicable and viral diseases, conduct blood tests and distribute free medicines to the needy. The Medical teams also help in immunization programs, health awareness programs and child nutrition programs in these areas.

These doorstep services have today become a necessary medium in the mineral rich but inaccessible areas of Sundargarh district. Supported by the District Mineral Fund, the Mobile Medical Vans are strategically deployed in the Blocks so than they can serve the most. Each Medical vehicle reaches out to about 40 people daily for 20 to 25 days a month. They are stationed at busy areas such as a village market or a public place such as a school for visibility and awareness. The Block Medical Officers monitor the operations of these Mobile Medical Vans and look after the requirements such as medicines and other consumables.

These have become very much helpful in identifying malaria, dengue and other viral disease and provide immediate treatment at the block level and district level hospitals. These Medical vans are acting as intermediaries in providing best healthcare service in the District Headquarter Hospital by referring the needy and serious cases on a priority basis thus saving time and precious lives.

Speaking to newsroomodisha.com about this initiative, Collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan says, “Providing healthcare services at the last mile, doorstep level is the objective of this program and we are able to achieve that objective in true spirit, even in the remotest corners of the district. Along with other major healthcare programs of the State Government, including the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, these initiatives ensure total coverage of all health related services to the people.”