Medical Clinics: Sunderbans

Healthcare - Sunderbans

Why



  • The Sunderbans (a group of 102 islands spread over West Bengal and Bangladesh) is one of the most impoverished, neglected and remote regions.

  • The area is prone to cyclones and has no basic facilities such as drinking water, electricity and medical care.

  • The nearest 16-bed Government Primary Health Centre is in Gosaba, 2 hours away by boat.

  • For specialized treatment, patients need to travel to Kolkata, which they can ill afford, both economically and in terms of distance.

  • This distance proves fatal for patients, particularly snakebite and stroke victims.


Mobile Medical Clinics



  • 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).

  • 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.

  • Approximately 250 patients of all ages, with various medical conditions, attend the clinics.

  • Specialised medical care is provided, e.g. the eye clinic offers treatment, medicines and glasses.

  • Individual medical cases are attended to and treatment and surgery is provided.

  • Our vision is to expand the programme to include the most remote islands of the Sunderbans in the near future.


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