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.