Mobile Medical Van: Delivering Healthcare Services At Doorstep In Sundargarh District.
Bureau,Odishabarta
More than 19 Lakh benefitted between April 2017 & July 2022
Sundargarh, August 19, 2022: Mobile Medical Van (MMV) helps provide access to medical services at rural areas, interior pockets and tribal hamlets in the Sundargarh district.
The district administration’s initiative, supported by District Mineral Foundation, DMF Sundargarh is benefiting the people across all 17 blocks.
A fleet of 25 MMVs has been deployed across the 17 blocks of the district. These well-equipped medical vans make a number of trips to various villages and Gram Panchayats on a daily basis. Everyday around 800-900 individuals stand benefitted by the service. In addition to targeting the village population, the mobile health facility covers institutions like schools, old age homes, Bal Ashram etc on regular interval.
“We are staying at the old age home. Since visiting a hospital is difficult at this age, the MMV service has come to our rescue. Apart from treating diseases, it also provides medicines for free,” said Sushila Mahanandia, an elderly beneficiary.
MMVs were introduced in the district on April 1, 2017 in order to provide last mile healthcare delivery. By July 31, 2022, over 19 lakh people have been benefitted by this healthcare initiative.
“My wife is bed-ridden. She was having joint pain. MMV provided the necessary treatment and medicines at our Ashram,” said Tankadhara Sahu, husband of a beneficiary. Tankadhar and his wife stay at an old age home in Sundargarh. MMV reaches many such beneficiaries ensuring basic universal healthcare delivery.
The MMVs have onboard a doctor, female health worker and pharmacist. Besides health check-up and diagnostic tests, medicines are also distributed free of cost. In emergency cases, the vans are used to ferry patients to referral hospitals.
” Apart from free health checkup and medicines, we provide preventive diagnosis for different disorders like malaria, diabetes, etc. We also cover pre and post partum care for pregnant women in the villages”, said Sanjeev Kumar Minz, a doctor engaged at an MMV.
In the event a patient needs higher medical intervention, or there is a requirement of more advanced tests, the case is forwarded to Referral Centres by the MMV.
“MMV is like a mobile hospital at the doorstep of rural and tribal people of Sundargarh. It operates with a well-defined weekly route chart. Thus, it works like a mini health centre on wheels providing preventive and curative services to the people”, informs Dr Saroj Kumar Mishra, Chief District Medical & Public Health Officer (CDM&PHO) Sundargarh.
“MMVs had played a great role during Covid Pandemic for awareness, collection of samples for RTPCR testing and covid vaccination”, adds Dr. Mishra.
