As a source of solace to the elderly who are in a state of neglect
and cannot reach hospitals for availing themselves of treatment, the
Kochi Corporation will launch five mobile health care units by November.
The major aim of the mobile clinic, which includes a doctor, a nurse
and a nursing assistant, is to help people, especially bed-ridden
patients, who are facing difficulties in meeting the expense of their
routine medical check-up. Free ambulance services will also be offered.
The
project is being implemented at an estimated cost of `40 lakh under the
People’s Planning Fund. The Health Department had already ordered
medicines worth `18 lakh for setting up the mobile palliative units.
“There
will be five separate units set up in Maruti Omni ambulance vans,
allotted for five major zones under the Kochi Corporation. The mobile
vans will cover the areas under Edappally, Mattanchery, Fort Kochi,
Palluruthy and Central zones,” said Kochi Corporation Health Standing
committee chairman T K Ashraf.
The Corporation will also provide a
toll-free number for the public to seek assistance of the mobile units.
“The doctors from the Primary Health Centres of the Corporation will
give the patients the necessary assistance along with a nurse. Five
nurses will be appointed for the units and the treatment will be free of
cost. The dressing up of wounds of elderly people, the stroke patients
who are not able to travel to hospitals and other bed-ridden people can
seek the help of the mobile unit,” he said.
The chairman also made
it clear that though it primarily aims at providing treatment to
elderly people, there will is no age limit and services will be provided
to the needy.
Earlier, the Corporation had launched mobile units
under the Kerala State Social Security Mission with the support of the
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). “As the scheme was not successful,
we have modified the plan and will launch it in a more comprehensive
manner,” he said. The units will cover the entire 74 divisions under
the Kochi Corporation and Ashraf added that the date of launch will be
finalised soon.
