10,956
patients accessed outpatient department services (2016-17)
Serving remote, vulnerable populations with primary health services through a mobile health clinic
Mumbai (Kalyan, Dombivali)
SNEHA’s Sanjeevan Mobile Clinic aimed to improve health access
and primary care services for underserved populations.
Operational from 2015 to February 2019, the state-of-the-art van was equipped with pathology, X-ray and ECG services, serves low-resource communities within the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation by providing preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and referral services.
In addition to providing health services, the Sanjeevan van acted as a platform to generate awareness of health issues and encourage communities to demand quality healthcare and treatment. Our awareness sessions covered pre-natal and post-natal care, nutrition, family planning, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue, through street plays and other art forms.
patients accessed outpatient department services (2016-17)
patients attended preventive
and promotive services (2016-17)
people accessed
diagnostic services
(2016-17)
referrals made to public health institutions
(2016-17)
Communities in urban settlements often don’t have easy access to health services. A resource like the Sanjeevan mobile health unit can reach these underserved areas, providing simple yet crucial information and services.
Rekha*, a 56-year-old resident of Dombivali visited the Sanjeevan mobile health unit complaining of swollen lymph nodes near her lips. While recording her medical history, the doctor learned that she had a history of consuming tobacco. The doctor referred her to a nearby hospital that further referred her to a specialized private hospital for cancer diagnosis.
Rekha tested positive for cancer, and subsequently underwent chemotherapy treatment at a hospital in Dombivali. A SNEHA community organiser followed up with Rekha during her chemotherapy treatment and visited her routinely till she made a complete recovery.
“You sent me for the right treatment at the right time and saved my life,” says Rekha.
*Name changed