Mobile Medical Van, a boon for people in Sundargarh district

Sundargarh: Introduced in April 2017, the Mobile Medical Van (MMV)  services in the Sundargarh district have benefited over 19 lakh people over the years to get medical services.

Mobile Medical Van is an initiative to provide access to medical services in rural areas, interior pockets, and tribal hamlets in the Sundargarh district. It started by the district administration, and supported by District Mineral Foundation, DMF Sundargarh.

A fleet of 25 MMVs has been deployed across the 17 blocks of the district. These well-equipped medical vans make several trips to various villages and Gram Panchayats daily.

In addition to targeting the village population, the mobile health facility covers institutions like schools, old age homes, and Bal Ashram among others on a 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.

Every day around 800-900 individuals stand benefitted from the service.

“My wife is bedridden. She was having joint pain. MMV provided the necessary treatment and medicines at our Ashram,” said Tankadhara Sahu, husband of a beneficiary. Tankadhara 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-ups 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 checkups and medicines, we provide a preventive diagnosis for different disorders like malaria, diabetes, etc. We also cover pre and postpartum care for pregnant women in the villages”, said Sanjeev Kumar Minz, a doctor engaged at an MMV.

In the event, that a patient needs higher medical intervention, or there is a requirement for 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.