Taking healthcare to the doorsteps of urban poor

A mobile hospital makes inroads in the needy lanes of Hyderabad

Hyderabad, April 7, 2009: Smile Foundation, in partnership with Operation Blessing India, launched ‘Smile on Wheels’, a national level mobile hospital for urban poor in Hyderabad and Rangareddy district today. Chief Guest on the occasion, Dr. L.Shobhavathi, District Medical and Health Officer, R R district flagged off a well-equipped ‘Smile on Wheels’ Mobile Hospital. The day is also observes as World Health Day across the world. World Health Day 2009 focuses on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers to treat those affected by emergencies.

Smile on Wheels aims to take comprehensive healthcare services (preventive, promotive and curative) to the underprivileged population in remote rural areas and urban slums who are either out of reach from healthcare or are too poor to afford it. The programme, in less than two years, is reaching out and providing healthcare services directly to 1.5 lakh population in 249 villages with a population area of 7.5 lakhs across eight states of India.

Mr. Naresh Chaudhary, Chief Operating Officer, Smile Foundation said, “There is a yawning gap between the available healthcare services and their accessibility to a large population, especially women and children, of our country. Initiatives like ‘Smile on Wheels’ need to be encouraged and supported by both the government as well as the private players if this gap is to be bridged. This fully equipped mobile hospital is capable to provide preventive, promotive and curative treatments.”
Facilities at Smile on Wheels

Each mobile hospital under Smile on Wheels programme provide OPD- curative services for common ailments, ante and postnatal services, provision to identify high risk pregnancies, immunization (Mother and Child), Minor surgery/ dressing of wounds, basic pathological services (Blood, Urine), referral services for serious patients requiring hospitalization, distribution of condoms, oral contraceptive pills, insertion of IUD, treatment of malnutrition cases, free distribution of iron, folic acid and vitamin A tablets to women and children in need. The mobile hospitals are equipped with an examination table, ECG, X-Ray machines, a dark room for X-Ray, Calorimeter, first aid kit, IV fluid transmission hook, Nebulizer, Centrifuge for pathological tests, Oxygen cylinders, Stretcher, Autoclaves, chiller cum refrigerator, generator, and public address systems.
A competent team of doctors and para-medical staff accompany each Smile on Wheels mobile hospital.
Smile Foundation believes in the concept of ‘Progress through Partnership’ and the multiplier effect it generates. In other terms, partnership always helps achieve bigger objectives by sharing financial as well as technical resources, including core competencies.

‘Smile on Wheels’ mobile hospital in Hyderabad implemented by Operation Blessing India is proposed to cover identified 24 slum clusters in and around Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Some of the identified slums are Moti Nagar, Gajula Ramaram, Gabbilal pet, Musharam Bagh, Malak pet, Rasool pura, Borabanda and Erragadda covering a population of 50,000 in the beginning. The mobile hospital will be operational for 24 days a month and is likely to conduct 24 camps each month covering lakhs of people in a span of six months.

About Smile on Wheels
Smile on Wheels is the national level mobile hospital programme of Smile Foundation, which aims to take modern healthcare services to the population who is out of the reach from any medical services or does not afford the modern health facilities. As many as eight Smile on Wheels are operational in eight states of India.

Smile Foundation soon will be launching two more Smile on Wheels in Ahmedabad on March 28, 2009 and Hyderabad on April 7, 2009 with a plan to add 30 projects in coming years.

About Smile Foundation
Smile Foundation is a national level development organisation reaching out to over 1 lakh underprivileged children and youth through more than 110 education, healthcare, livelihood and advocacy programmes across 21 states of India. Smile Foundation aims to involve privileged citizens of the society and appeal them to act in the development process.
About Operation Blessings India

Operation Blessing India was setup in 1998 to make difference in the lives of the poor and needy. It is committed to provide hope and comfort to the needy. Originally founded in 1978, Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation is a nonprofit, humanitarian organization that provides short-term medical aid, disaster relief and assistance to people in need.