by NR INDRAN / INT
Mumbai : Hinduja Hospital is a super-specialty tertiary care trust hospital founded way back in 1951. Founder Sri Paramanand Deepchand Hinduja believed that health and education are the birthrights of every citizen. He wanted to create an institution that could provide “Quality Healthcare for All”. He, together with some like-minded individuals, worked towards this goal and Hinduja Hospital is a culmination of his vision. Our chairman, Sri S P Hinduja and his brothers continue to hold their father’s dream close to their hearts and Hinduja Hospital Rural Health Program is another milestone in this direction.
The Rural Health Program comprises of ‘Serve with Passion’ mobile vans. It aims to reach out to those families in the remote areas that cannot get medical help at close proximity. With a generous contribution from Ashok Leyland and Hinduja Foundation, Hinduja Hospital intends to spread its wings on wheels.
We take pride in the fact that Hinduja Hospital Rural Health Program has been initiated on the 75th birthday of our Chairman to mark 60 years of dedicated service in healthcare. To Serve with Passion is our Chairman’s motto and has been our inspiration and will be the mantra of every conscientious citizen of India, if we wish to see our country vibrant. Each one of us can make a difference if we meaningfully decide to do so.
The program is spearheaded by Usha Raheja, daughter of Smt. Lalita G. Hinduja, and a key person at the nerve of all the charitable initiatives at Hinduja Hospital. Speaking about the need of a Rural Healthcare Program, Usha Raheja, Board Member, Hinduja Hospital said, “The disparity in health facilities, even in areas close to large cities, like Mumbai, is appalling. The consequences of illness are often debilitating both physically and economically. Certain remote villages do not even have basic medicines. The mission of Hinduja Hospital’s Rural Health Program is to help in early detection of illness or better still prevention through health awareness.”
Dr R A Bhalerao, Director, Strategy and Medical Planning, Hinduja Hospital who’s looking after the medical aspects of the MHU said, “The bus will be carrying a medical officer, nurse, lab technician and a radiology technician. We are looking at treatment of minor ailments; detection and treatment of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cataract cases; early detection of TB, Malaria, Leprosy & other locally endemic communicable & non communicable; minor surgical procedures and suturing; treatment for malnutrition, vitamin deficiency related diseases, scabies and de-worming etc.”
The ‘Serve with Passion’ Mobile Units comprise of sets of customized mobile vans – big (Advanced Health Unit) and small (Basic Health Unit). The Advanced Health Unit is currently equipped with investigative facilities such as X – Rays, Lab facilities complete with medical and paramedical staff. Minor procedures like suturing will also be possible. The doctors will not only dispense free medicines but also be a part of the team that will actively spread health and hygiene education through audio visual and personal interactions. The Basic Mobile Health Units (Equipped with lab facilities & medicines) will go further into the interiors to help, and move the patients, if required.
The MHU staff has also been carefully trained to “Serve with Passion” and will be totally supported by the Hinduja Hospital Parivar. Through telemedicine specialized consultation will also be possible, if required.
On the future plan of the program, Usha Raheja said, “It is the desire of the Hinduja Hospital team to expand this project in order to help as many as possible in the rural areas. We believe that this colossal task of providing accessibility to quality healthcare can only be achieved through its, time – tested, value “Partnership for Growth”.
Hinduja Hospital, part of the Hinduja Group, is an ultramodern tertiary care hospital with a Medical Research Centre in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston. World cl-ass infrastructure has been created to provide highest quality of patient care. The hospital has an In Patient facility of 381 beds, to be extended to 600 beds. The P D Hinduja Hospital was the first multi disciplinary tertiary care hospital to have been awarded the prestigious ISO 9002 Certification from KEMA of Netherlands for Quality Management System. The Hospital was also awarded the prestigious ‘Golden Peacock Global Award for Philanthropy in Emerging Economies 2006.’ It is also the first hospital to be honored with the IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award for 2007.
You can contact the Author at nr_indran@rediffmail.com
