Rs1-cr mobile medical unit gathers dust
The district administration has come up with an ambitious plan to roll out two mobile medical vans in next two months to deliver health services at doorstep. However, the irony of the situation is that a mobile medical unit (MMU) worth Rs 1 crore is gathering dust at the Civil Surgeon office.
The MMU was launched during the Akali-BJP regime in 2009 as part of a statewide project. All of a sudden the operation of MMUs was stopped in 2022. At that time these units were fully operational, but with the passage of time the machinery started wearing off and since then the MMU in Ludhiana has been stationed at the CS office.
The crew operating the MMU included a doctor, a radiographer, a lab technician, staff nurses, a helper and a driver. The post of doctor is vacant at present and all other crew members have been deputed at other places.
The MMU was equipped with an X-ray machine, electrocardiogram, pathology laboratory and an examination room.
An official from the Health Department said this was a classic example of infrastructure going waste. “This MMU was last used for vaccination during Covid. Instead of spending money on two mobile units, the existing one should be put to use. It has all the required machines and will require repair,” he said.
Two mobile medical vans will be launched in the first phase of the pilot project at an estimated cost of Rs 60 lakh. These vans would be equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities to provide high-quality medical care. The vans will be capable of conducting ECG, HIV tests and other diagnostics, in addition to offering other treatment and health services. Villages will be the target in the first phase, while urban areas will be covered in the second phase.
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-up of people at their doorstep.
“It will be another public outreach programme under which doctors and paramedical staff will move around the district to provide health check-up, treatment and other allied services at the doorstep without charging a single rupee,” said Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal.
