SBI Foundation Adds 3 Clinics-on-wheels to its Fleet with NSDL
Under the SBIF Sanjeevani program, SBI Foundation and NSDL are collaborating to address the high prevalence of noncommunicable, air-borne, and vector-borne diseases in slum settlements in Mumbai’s Govandi, Sion, and Kurla areas by providing free doorstep healthcare through Mobile Medical Units. Doctors For You, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to quality healthcare in India, will carry out the program.
SBIF Sanjeevani, one of SBI Foundation’s legacy projects, has so far deployed 24 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) or ‘clinic-on-wheels’ across 18 states and two union territories. SBIF Sanjeevani will be introduced in three Mumbai wards and expanded to Uttar Pradesh, thanks to NSDL’s Rs. 2.49 crore funding support and the addition of three new MMUs to the fleet.
The 25th Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), which will travel through Mumbai’s Govandi, Sion, and Kurla areas, was flagged off by SBI Chairman Mr. Dinesh Khara and MD & CEO NSDL Ms. Padmaja Chunduru, in the presence of top officials from both organizations, at a ceremony held at State Bank Bhavan in Mumbai.
SBI Foundation
SBIF Sanjeevani was founded in 2017 with the goal of increasing access to primary healthcare and referral services for India’s most vulnerable, remote, and impoverished communities, where public and private healthcare infrastructure is either non-existent or of poor quality.
Doctors For You (DFY), SBIF Sanjeevani’s implementation partner for Mumbai, conducted a baseline study across 2250 households along the charted route and discovered a concerning prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and various forms of addiction, among other things. While noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and other co-morbidities were discovered in 20-25% of the population, nearly 60% of the population struggled with some form of addiction, such as chewing tobacco, smoking, or consuming alcohol. Parts of the community practice poor sanitation and hygiene, resulting in a high prevalence of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and diarrhoea among children, which peaks during the breeding season. Furthermore, the communities are located in congested areas, along lanes with open drains, which serve as a breeding ground for a variety of air-borne diseases.
The Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) will use a community-specific strategy to address general health concerns related to noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as gynaecological issues, common adolescent ailments, malnutrition, skin conditions, and geriatric care. Residents will be able to use these services for free.
In addition to screening and treatment, the MMU will hold daily camps on topics such as maternal and child health and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) practices. The OPD will be open 22 days per month. The project would involve stakeholders from the public healthcare system such as BMC Health and Development officers, ICDS, Block Development Program, CHCs and PHCs, Anganwadis, ASHA workers, ANMs, and so on. Over 20,000 people will benefit from the initiative.
“At SBI, we are constantly striving to contribute to the well-being of our citizens and the advancement of our nation.” “Project Sanjeevani, a one-of-a-kind initiative involving state and local health departments, local NGOs, and the SBI Foundation, will assist in providing basic medical facilities to the communities we serve,” said Mr. Dinesh Khara, Chairman of SBI.
“NSDL is honored to work with such a prestigious organization as SBI on the Sanjeevani initiative.” This project not only ensures primary healthcare services, but it also has the potential to improve rural India’s overall health status. “NSDL intends to expand this project to other States and Union Territories across the country in order to serve rural and remote communities in India,” said Ms. Padmaja Chunduru, CEO of NSDL.
