The Southern Railway has extended its ties with leading private medical care providers to set up free medical assistance centres in its railway stations, said railway officials.
Though such kind of medical assistance centres were set up in the past, the officials said, those had become dysfunctional for some time now. These centres have now been renewed by Railways in partnership with private hospitals, said the sources.
The Southern Railway operates 434 suburban trains and 742 non-suburban trains every day. On an average, 2.4 million passengers travel in these trains in a day. With a view to benefiting the passengers, the free medical assistance centres will be set up in all railway stations.
“Medical assistance centers, as of now, are set up in Chennai Central, Egmore and Tambaram railway stations. In the first two stations, the medical assistance centers are provided by SRM Hospitals and in Tambaram station, Global Hospitals set up the center,” said an official.
These emergency medical care centers provide facilities such as first aid, ambulance, availability of medicines, medical equipments, wheel chairs and stretchers.
These centers also have qualified medical staffs and doctors. The centers will also conduct periodical health camps and medical awareness programs, the official added.
“All the centres will run on 24/7. Besides Chennai, we will be setting up medical assistance centers in Salem Junction with the help of Vinayaka Mission Hospital, Salem,” the railway officials confirmed.