Hospital on tracks for poor patients

VARANASI: More than 700 patients so far have been diagnosed and treated in last four days by doctors of Lifeline Express, a seven-coach train equipped with medical facilities. Stationed at Kashi railway station, the Lifeline Express arrived here on August 19, and it will be here till September 8.
The hospital on the tracks is being run by an NGO - Impact India Foundation - in collaboration with the Indian Railways and health ministry to provide on the spot diagnostic, medical and advanced surgical treatment to poor.

The mobile hospital is 20-member staff for treatment and preliminary diagnosis and if required, temporary nurses are called from nearby locality. There are two ambulances to take patients to government hospital, Chowkaghat for operation or other required treatment. The ambulance driver said that around 30 patients are sent to the hospital for treatment through the ambulance daily.

Chandan Kumar, who looks after the management of the mobile hospital, told TOI that an eye check up camp was organised from Monday to Thursday. "The Lifeline Express provides free eye and ear checkup, polio diagnosis, plastic surgery, oral cancer checkup, cervical and breast cancer checkups for women he said. For registration, patients are required to bring an identity proof like Aadhaar card or voter ID card or driving licence," he said. Eye specialist Dr Mamta Devi said that around 40 patients turned up for eye checkup.

Dr Rama Yadav from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, said that most cancer patients were suffering from oral cancer. However, relatively less cases of cervical and breast cancer were diagnosed.

According to treatment schedule, cataract operation will be held from August 23 to 27, ear test from August 28 to 30, ear operation from August 29 to September 2, burnt skin and deformed face diagnosis from September 1 to 3, plastic surgery from September 4 to 5, polio diagnosis from September 2 to 3, polio surgery from September 4 to 5, and dental diagnosis and treatment from September 1 to 7. The breast and cervical cancer test and oral cancer test is schedule from August 21 to September 3, while epilepsy diagnosis and treatment will be done from August 25 to 26.