Inspiration Case 15: Mobile Health Clinics

INSPIRATION CASE 15: MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS General Information Mobile health clinics like our inspiring example Smile on Wheels from India provide good quality healthcare to people who do not have the necessary resources to visit regular medical centers.

These clinics are set up inside large vans that are equipped with a patient examination area, a pharmacy and various testing equipment. They visit lowincome, deprived rural, peri-urban and urban areas to perform check-ups, prescribe medicine and educate people about health and nutrition.

Inspiration & Parametres for change a) access to multiple deprived communities

Since these health clinics are mobile, they can offer their services to a number of communities in a city, town or village. After setting up one such clinic successfully, the systems and processes can be replicated and multiple vans established relatively easily to cover larger areas.

Š Clear Village 2011

b) regular check- ups: prevention instead of cure

Mobile clinics make regular, scheduled visits so that people in the community are tested frequently and any onset of disease is discovered and prevented early.

Additionally, doctors become familiar with health, sanitation and nutrition conditions of the community and can offer information about the prevention of common health problems that occur in a particular area.

Information and pictures sourced from http://smilefoundationindia.org | www.buzzintown.com | www.aktenamit.org | All rights reserved.

INSPIRATION CASE 15: MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS Our inspiring example: Smile on Wheels, India, 2006

© Clear Village 2011

Smile on Wheels’ innovative approach, founded by the Smile Foundation, has set up several mobile health clinics in a number of cities in India, with the help of local health partners – organizations that provide health services. They presently operate 10 mobile hospitals in 126 slums and villages in 9 states of India.

How does Smile on Wheels work in detail?

Smile collaborates with local health providers in various cities, towns and villages to set up mobile hospitals. Apart from basic medical check-ups and diagnosis, it provides services ante-natal/post-natal services, referrals for institutional care, immunization, blood pressure examinations, X-ray, electrocardiograms, first aid and treatment of malnutrition among others. Each van is equipped with facilities like a lab centrifuge, operation theatre, ventilator, sterilised instruments and an X-ray processing room as well as a pharmacy, a patient examining and waiting area. The van also contains audiovisual equipment that is used to show videos about health and nutrition to waiting patients and often the community as a whole.

Doctors and medical staff from partner organisations visit communities with vans and perform medical check- ups as well as educate people about health related issues. A few people from the community are selected to mediate between mobile clinic and community, and to ensure that community’s requirements are being met.

What does this mean for the local community?

People in rural and deprived areas often have to travel large distances to access good quality health care. Due to a lack of resources, both time and money, and often in the case of women or social restrictions, travelling frequently for medical care is not always possible. In low-income urban areas as well, people do not have the resources needed to visit regular medical centres. A mobile health clinic brings medical services to these areas.

The clinic charges a nominal fee for its services in certain cases depending on the paying capacity of the community. It also provides much needed information about nutrition, sanitation, prevention and cure of common diseases.

Information and pictures sourced from http://smilefoundationindia.org | www.buzzintown.com | www.aktenamit.org | All rights reserved.