Residents to get free health services on doorstep in dist

After getting free diagnostic and treatment facilities at 94 Aam Aadmi Clinics, now rebranded as Ayushman Arogya Kendras to pave way for the Central grant, district residents would soon start getting the health check-up facility on their doorstep and that also for free.

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In a step towards making health facilities available to each and every resident, who cannot even reach out to the nearest health centre, the district administration has come up with an ambitious plan to roll out mobile medical vans for the doorstep health services in Ludhiana within the next two months.

Brainchild of Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, the first-of-its-kind community healthcare programme would be launched with the roll out of two mobile medical vans in the first phase of the pilot project at an estimated cost of Rs 60 lakh.

“It will be another public outreach programme under which doctors and paramedical staff will roam around the district to provide health check-up, treatment and other allied services on their doorsteps without charging a single penny,” Jorwal told The Tribune.

Charing a meeting with the district officials concerned and representatives from NGOs involved in the project, the DC said the administration would purchase the specially-designed vans from the Red Cross Society funds. “Each van will be staffed by a specialist doctor and medical interns to perform health check-ups of the people on their doorsteps,” he said while informing that a detailed duty roster would be prepared for the operation of the mobile vans.

Jorwal said the vans would be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to provide high-quality medical care. “They will be capable of conducting tests such as blood pressure readings, ECGs, HIV tests and other diagnostics, in addition to offering other treatment and health services,” he shared while stating that serious cases will be referred to nearest hospitals for further assessment, as advised by the doctor.

The DC said the services will target villages in the first phase while urban areas will be covered in the second phase. “Mobile units will offer comprehensive check-ups, especially for women, the elderly and children, without the need for travel,” he said.

Jorwal expressed optimism that the innovative programme would serve as a catalyst for providing quality healthcare and diagnostic services directly to the community.

He also envisioned that the vans would transform the healthcare landscape by delivering free and high-quality mobile healthcare services, particularly in remote rural areas. “The initiative aims to bridge the healthcare gap and ensure that quality medical care is accessible to every corner of Ludhiana,” the DC added.