GMRVF's Mobile Medical Unit- Clinic on wheels

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Reaching the Unreached through GMRVF's Mobile Medical Unit- Clinic on wheels

14 August 2020

Every week, white vans with yellow stripes reaches some of the underserved communities in places like, Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa, Warora, Kakinada, Kamalanga, Holi-Bajoli. Run in partnership with various specialized NGOs, these vans are GMR Varalakshmi Foundation's Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) - Clinic on Wheels treating the elderly and vulnerable who cannot otherwise access medical assistance.

Equipped with basic medical equipment, medicines, and staffed by an experienced doctor, a pharmacist and a social worker, these vans provide free health services, screening and health education to the doorsteps of under-privileged people. The MMUs have been doing this for more than 15 years- and in that time have provided 2,00,000 annual treatments to patients who are often missed by our health care systems: the uninsured, underinsured and undocumented, vulnerable groups.

And as the world strives to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the elderly underprivileged sections who are facing the heaviest brunt of the situation. Apart from having the maximum vulnerability to virus due to their diminishing immunity, their health conditions are also depriving due to unavailability of medicines and timely treatment to their chronic diseases. To ensure adequate safety of these people during the pandemic, the Mobile Medical Units have gone beyond their regular services. Along with providing regular treatment to common ailments including Osteoarthritis, Hypertension, Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease and Dyspepsia, these vans are also sensitizing local communities about Covid-19 and ways to prevent oneself from this virus.

Covid- 19 highlights:

All beneficiaries are also being educated on COVID-19 precautions, emphasizing on the importance of safe distance, wearing mask, sanitization, personal hygiene, nutrition and immunity diet etc.
With the support of UNPFA (United Nations Population Fund), GMRVF's Mobile Medical Unit at Hyderabad has organized 12 camps to spread awareness on Covid-19 through distribution of pamphlets.
By the means of providing free regular health screening and distribution of medicines, these camps benefitted close to 900 senior citizens and GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) workers.
The MMU at Delhi provided about 6500 treatments apart from conducting number of awareness programs on Covid and other diseases. The MMU staff also supported the elderly and vulnerable people by facilitating old age pensions and disability pensions etc.
At Warora, MMU provided about 8000 treatments and medicines to the needy patients. During the lockdown time, this has been the only health facility accessible to the local communities
MMU at Goa reached out to about 3000 chronically ill patients and distributed medicines to them. Number of awareness programs were conducted on Covid and Vitamin C enriched juice bottles were supplied to over 800 people to boost their immunity