KOCHI: As the white mini-bus drives past, the one thing a passerby would notice is the word written in bold in blue paint - Bandhu. Malayalis may be unfamiliar with that particular word written on a bus. For migrants from states like Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, it is a harbinger of hope.The project titled Bandhu, meaning friend in Bengali, has been planned to be just that for scores of migrants who otherwise forego healthcare.
“It is a first in the country,” said Benoy Peter, executive director, Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development. “Nowhere in India has such a project been initiated for migrant labourers.”According to him, the project comes under the National Health Mission (NHM) and is being supported by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals and ESAF Bank. CMID is the implementing agency.While it is the only active mobile screening unit for Covid-19 among migrants, the main purpose of the project is different.
“We weren’t fully ready for deployment. But current exigencies forced us to bring it out on the road,” Benoy said.
Bandhu Clinic is a hi-tech facility catering to migrants’ basic medical needs. The vehicle is fitted with cameras, floodlights, a solar roof and other modern equipment, the CMID executive director said.With the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals’ support helping address the funding problem, a newly-bought vehicle was customised to suit a mobile medical unit.
“That set the ball rolling. But the person who had promised us funds to support the operating costs backed out and we were left wringing our hands in desperation,” Benoy said.“ESAF Bank then stepped in. They have promised to cover our operational costs and the NHM team supported us in setting up the clinic.”
ESAF Bank managing director and CEO K Paul Thomas said the operational cost of the project is being bankrolled under the CSR initiative.“The bank has assured a sum of Rs 10 lakh for the project as a part of its integrated approach towards business with migrant labourers,” he said.