Stalin flags off 256 mobile medical vans for rural areas

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated 256 mobile medical vehicles that will be operated by the State Health Department for diagnosis and treatment of people in the rural parts of the State on Tuesday. A total of 389 vehicles will be launched at the cost of Rs 70 crore by the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation this year.

As many as 133 mobile vehicles were launched in the first phase in April.

The 256 mobile hospitals at a cost of Rs 46 crore were flagged off on Tuesday, adding to the already launched vehicles. The mobile medical vehicles are being launched by the State Health Department as part of an initiative to provide easy access to diagnostic healthcare facilities in remote areas.

A press release from the department stated that the State government had purchased 100 mobile ambulances in 2007 and 285 ambulances in 2008 to visit the remote on specific days of the month to diagnose and treat diseases with the help of mobile medical teams.

Earlier Health Minister Ma Subramanian had said that a medical team comprising of a medical officer, a nurse, a driver and a cleaner will be deployed in these mobile vehicles. The camps are being conducted by the already existing mobile medical team vehicles in 385 areas with the aim of providing necessary medical facilities at their location to the people living in remote villages.

In addition, this 385 mobile medical team has been upgraded to mobile hospitals, recruiting laboratory technicians and providing quality medical services to the rural poor and simple people with laboratory facilities.

In order to further strengthen the services, a total of 389 new mobile medical team vehicles are being added up. The Chief Minister also conducted a medical examination at the mobile hospital after the launch of new vehicles.