Smile on Wheels
Case story: moving slums. Moving clinic
In the midst of high-rise corporate buildings, there are about 800 slums where having a glass of clean water to drink is a luxury. Rachnahalli is a slum inhabited by approximately 400 migrant from Eastern Uttar Pradesh. They stay in a shed about 6’ x 4’ covered by a thin plastic sheets, exposed to elements from all four sides. You would find them on the busy streets of Bangalore selling their tablas. This sale fetches them only Rs 2000 a month. They have no land, no voters identity card. So, the politicians ignore them. Children scantily clad in torn clothes selling tablas caught Suresh’s (our Senior social worker) attention. He began visiting and talking to them. He was shocked by their appalling living conditions with absolutely no access to healthcare or any care. After many discussions, we initiated the Mobile Clinic. From then …show more content…
, Amid the sweltering heat, group of women and men patiently wait for their turn. The doctors and community health care workers settles at the crowded, narrow roadside clinic at MV Garden (Place?). They begin examining patients in between eager faces showing inquistivness to know about the others ailments. The doctos and healthcare workers, with remarkable patience and diplomacy examine patients, answer questions, counsel those who need to face the worst, prescribe medicines and refer those who are critical to BBH. This is a routine every …….. Albert, a 70-year-old gentleman walked to me after a long wait and told me “Doctor, I am not able to speak; my voice is not like how it used to be”. Thinking it could be just a viral Pharyngitis (a simple infection) giving him trouble, I probed him on the duration of this problem. . Albert said three months. I was alarmed and angry at Albert. But he justied his action saying that he has taken medicine from multiple local