Chhatrapur, May 19: For many people living in rural areas, access to healthcare is still a daily struggle. Elderly persons, differently abled individuals, bedridden patients and daily wage earners often find it difficult to travel long distances to hospitals for regular medical check-ups and treatment. Understanding this pressing need, Adani Foundation, in collaboration with HelpAge India, launched a Mobile Healthcare Unit to bring essential healthcare services directly to the doorsteps of villagers living around Gopalpur Port.
What started as a healthcare outreach initiative has now become a trusted lifeline for thousands of rural families across the port peripheral villages.
Launched in October last year by Chatrapur Tehsildar Divya Mohanty, the mobile healthcare service has already benefited more than 13,000 people from nearby villages. Among them are around 5,500 men and 7,500 women who have availed medical consultations, health screenings, and free medicines through the initiative.
At present, the Mobile Healthcare Unit is serving nearly 46,500 people across 27 villages under Aryapalli, Kanamana, Kalipalli, Sriramchandrapurand Chamakhandi panchayats. Every day, the healthcare vehicle visits two to three villages and conducts medical camps within the community itself. As the vehicle enters a village, a siren announcement alerts residents, making it easier for villagers to gather at the camp site and access healthcare services without travelling far from their homes.
The mobile unit is equipped with a medicine specialist, pharmacistand coordinator who provide comprehensive primary healthcare support. Patients undergo routine health check-ups, including blood pressure and diabetes screening, while free medicines are distributed based on medical advice. In addition to treatment, villagers are also sensitized about hygiene, nutrition, seasonal diseases, and healthy lifestyle practices.
The initiative has become especially beneficial for elderly villagers and women who often neglect their own health due to financial constraints or household responsibilities.
Sharing her experience, 55-year-old Satya Behera from PurunaChatrapur said, “I work daily collecting kewda flowers and had been suffering from knee pain and high blood pressure for many years. Due to my work and lack of time, visiting hospitals regularly was difficult. Now the mobile healthcare vehicle comes to our village every week. After receiving regular medicines and medical advice, my health has improved a lot. We are grateful to Adani Foundation and Gopalpur Port for bringing healthcare services close to our homes.”
Dr. Sangram Satpathy, who is associated with the Mobile Healthcare Unit, said that most patients visiting the camps are suffering from hypertension, diabetes, joint pain, skin diseases, and nutritional deficiencies. “We provide basic health screening, consultation, medicines, and counselling at the camps. Patients requiring specialized treatment are referred to higher medical centres for further care,” he said.
