NELLORE: Nine years on, ‘Neurology-on-Wheels’ continues to provide quality treatment to neurological disorder patients in rural areas. Noted neurologist Dr Bindu Menon launched the initiative in 2013. Since then, ‘Neurology-on-Wheels’ has carried out numerous medical drives across the district and provided medicines free of cost to patients. The neurologist has been creating awareness on epilepsy, strokes related to nerves, brain and other neurological disorders among the public, especially rural population. The foundation run by Bindu Menon has conducted health check ups for over 10,000 rural population in 32 villages, so far. She has treated 91 diabetic, 122 stroke and 96 untreated epilepsy cases.
The Bindu Menon Foundation has been providing medicines to 54 children affected by epilepsy, residing at Pragathi Charities.“I began this journey in 2008 conducting awareness programmes in colleges. However, with each interactive programme, I realised that there was a low awareness about risk factors and symptoms of stroke. This prompted us to prepare pamphlets and booklets for our future programmes, which incorporated complete information about stroke. I have completed 186 such awareness programmes for over 35,000 people till now,” the neurologist said.
The foundation also started conducting monthly camps for patients, living below the poverty line. Initially, it started with 23 patients, and now they have more than 200 patients. “We have completed 100 camps so far,” she added.
With the motto, ‘We Reach, We Teach and We Treat’, the foundation identifies a village by random selection. Then the team requests the sarpanch to inform about their plan to ASHA, anganwadi workers and ANMs as they are the local trained health educators. Then, the foundation conducts an awareness programme urging villagers to attend the camp. The talk is tailored for stroke risk factors, recognition of symptoms and the role of regular compliance of medicines. Later, a free medical camp is held where screening and detection of hypertension, diabetes and stroke is done. They evaluate the patients and counsel them according to the risk factor.
Bindu Menon has created a stroke symptom mnemonic in Telugu, which will be played at the medical camps. “This initiative is the first-of-its-kind in the country. The mnemonic is penned in musical notes, which is comprehensible for the public. Each musical note has a stroke symptom in Telugu. It has become popular among the public,” the Neurology-on-Wheels founder said.
She also launched a mobile application for epilepsy patients. The app will help patients to enter all their personal medical data. It also has a seizure diary. It also reminds the patients about their medicine dosage.
Bindu Menon has received several awards for her services. She received the Mridha Spirit of Neurology award from the American Academy of Neurology and American Brain Foundation in 2022. She is a recipient of the 2022 American Academy of Neurology AB Baker Teacher Recognition Award and Lions Club International President’s Appreciation certificate and Governor’s Appreciation Award in 2021. World Stroke Organization conferred the title of the Fellowship of the World Stroke Organization (FWSO) on her in 2021.