The Mobile Health Unit (MHU) of Essar Foundation, which is operating in 17 villages of Nuagarh, Bhutamundai and Paradipgarh gram panchayats of Kujang block in Jagatsinghpur district has completed one year of its operation.
The community project was launched after obtaining approval from district administration and State Government to provide basic and accessible health services to 30,000 people of 6,000 households in the area. Till July 24, the project has benefited 20,464 persons including more than 10,000 women, 1,500 children and 4,700 elderly persons.
Women and children are specially benefited by the project as they cannot go to far off primary health centres but can easily reach the specially designed vehicle. It has examination table and is stocked with adequate medicines.
The vehicle stops at certain identified locations in the villages to facilitate maximum patient access. The locations have been identified by taking into account the cluster of population in a village, accessibility for the vehicle and adequate parking space. The project follows a participatory model and changes are brought on the basis of community needs which are expressed through established informal channels.
As a predetermined visit schedule, the vehicle goes to two villages daily. Often, multiple locations in a village are chosen to suit the needs of people. Under MHU, consultation with the doctor and medicines are provided free of cost.
It is operated by a team comprising a doctor, a pharmacist, a community health mobiliser, a lady attendant and a driver-cum-patient registration facilitator. Each patient is provided a diagnosis card for maintaining patient history.