Pune: For Bhimshankar Shinge, his physical disability meant no regular medical assistance needed for his diabetes and hypertension. Since he lives in the remote village of Patole in Nashik’s Sinnar taluka, access to hospitals is difficult. However, thanks to a mobile clinic, the 55-year-old has been getting all his medical needs attended to at the right time for the last two-and-a-half years.“Impact Guru Foundation’s (IGF-India) care-on-wheels programme (mobile medical units) provides me with free medicines near my home. Besides these regular medications, I am being checked by doctors for other health issues,” he said.Mobile clinics or clinics on wheels run by NGOs and state govt are emerging as an effective alternative to traditional public health care. These are equipped with basics like glucometer, HB meter, eye-testing devices and portable health diagnostic bags to test blood. Mohini Chavhan from Chinchwad was suffering from grade 4 haemorrhoids, which was very painful. Despite seeking treatment at local clinics, she did not find any relief due to financial and logistical challenges. “IGF-India clinic’s doctors reached out to me at home, checked me, and referred me to a private hospital. After a consultation and diagnosis, the foundation confirmed that a surgical procedure was necessary. Under its CSR initiative, the laser haemorrhoidectomy surgery cost me Rs17,000 which otherwise would have crossed Rs1 lakh. Now I am much relieved,” she said. Kothrud resident Maruti Hatkar (54), who runs a grocery store, is another beneficiary of this NGO’s mobile unit. “I had been suffering from an infection in my right leg since Jan. Regular check-ups by the doctors on board, hospital referrals, and medicines since March have caused the infection to subside,” he said.The objective is to provide underserved communities last-mile connectivity to free health services, said Sundeep Talwar, IGF-India’s chief executive officer.“We operate 11 such clinics across Maharashtra, mostly in western parts. Each unit is manned by a MBBS doctor, a pharmacist, a social worker and a community mobiliser-cum driver. We provide a patient with check-ups, diagnostic services, doctor consultation and referrals for $2 a week. We also offer medicines free of cost through our CSR effort for as long as required,” he said, adding they have a fixed schedule and hence the patients are aware that the clinic will revisit their location at a fixed day and time. Govt is too experimenting with these mobile clinics. The health department has currently deployed a cancer diagnostic van that is going from village to village to screen and identify cases. Dr Sandeep Sangale, additional director, health and family welfare department, said, “It is a pilot project in three districts which we intend to expand across the state. Often in cancer cases the symptoms do not appear till the disease crosses stage two. However, when we conduct random screenings, we catch cases in the first stage.”Between Feb 4 and June 30, a govt-run campaign confirmed 81 breast cancer patients, 40 cervical cancer patients and 120 oral cancer patients, and most are stage one, he said. “The diagnostic van played a key role in the campaign. The biggest advantage of these clinics is the fact that they eventually lower the burden on public health care units. When cases are diagnosed and treated at the source, the patient need not travel far for quality care.“Since Jan, IGF-India’s mobile clinics have been able to diagnose around 700 cataract cases that were referred to govt or charitable hospitals where the surgeries were carried out. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pune Municipal Corporation used vaccine on wheels. “This service helped us deliver vaccines to the doorstep of those who needed it the most, the elderly, and the disabled,” said Dr Suryakant Devkar, assistant health officer.
