ITANAGAR, Feb 18 - Lifeline Express, the world�s first hospital on wheels, reached Arunachal Pradesh on Monday with State Health Minister Alo Libang launching the first-of-its-kind project at the Naharlagun Railway Station in the presence of a large number of patients who came to avail of the benefits of the mobile clinic.
The mobile hospital train with a team of qualified doctors and surgeons offers free healthcare services, including OPD facility, sterilised operation theatres, cancer awareness and screening, and restorative surgeries for vision, hearing, cleft lips, orthopaedic, neurological, dental and gynaecological problems.
Lifeline Express, also known as Jeevan Rekha, is a joint initiative of Impact India Foundation, Indian Railways and the Ministry of Health, which has been providing healthcare facilities to people, especially to those living in far-flung areas since 1991.
Speaking at the inaugural session, the Health Minister called upon the people to avail of the benefits of the mobile clinic. He said that Lifeline Express has come as a support for the Health Department of the state.
The minister urged the people to take care of their health. Informing that the mobile clinic is also equipped with mammography to detect breast cancer in women which is not currently available in Arunachal Pradesh, Libang urged women to avail of the service.
Chandrakant Deshpande, senior operating officer of Impact India Foundation (Lifeline Express), said that cooperation has been extended by the district administration, police, NDRF, Health Department, etc., for successful conduct of the project.
However, some services provided by the hospital train are limited as they have limited healing time for patients, he said, while informing that more than 30 patients were listed for cataract surgery on the opening day after screening. The clinic will continue till March 5 next.