<h2>Why</h2><br /> <ul><br /> <li>The Sunderbans (a group of 102 islands spread over West Bengal and Bangladesh) is one of the most impoverished, neglected and remote regions.</li><br /> <li>The area is prone to cyclones and has no basic facilities such as drinking water, electricity and medical care.</li><br /> <li>The nearest 16-bed Government Primary Health Centre is in Gosaba, 2 hours away by boat.</li><br /> <li>For specialized treatment, patients need to travel to Kolkata, which they can ill afford, both economically and in terms of distance.</li><br /> <li>This distance proves fatal for patients, particularly snakebite and stroke victims.</li><br /> </ul><br /> <h2>Mobile Medical Clinics</h2><br /> <ul><br /> <li>Over the past year, we have run mobile medical clinics at Bijaynagar, Bali Island (weekly), Hetalbari, Mollakhali Island (bi-monthly) and Ram Gopalpur, near Godkhali (bi-monthly).</li><br /> <li>As of September 2014, we have been running one clinic (Ram Gopalpur, near Godkhali) due to the opening of our OPD (Out Patients' Department) on Bali Island.</li><br /> <li>Approximately 250 patients of all ages, with various medical conditions, attend the clinics.</li><br /> <li>Specialised medical care is provided, e.g. the eye clinic offers treatment, medicines and glasses.</li><br /> <li>Individual medical cases are attended to and treatment and surgery is provided.</li><br /> <li>Our vision is to expand the programme to include the most remote islands of the Sunderbans in the near future.</li><br /> </ul>
