Slum Doctors

DELHI AND HYDERABAD, India – Surviving India’s slums is a daily struggle, but one that may be getting a little easier for thousands of impoverished families.

Many of these poor can barely afford food, let alone medical care when they are sick. In fact, most don’t even have access to health care.

In response to their need, Smile Foundation, a project that helps children with congenital facial deformities, launched a fleet of mobile hospitals to serve the slum population.

Called Smile on Wheels, these medical vans are equipped with medication, equipment, specialized doctors, nurses and other medical staff.

Operation Blessing India recently partnered with Smile on Wheels to provide two vans based in Delhi and Hyderabad to serve approximately 150,000 people living in the urban slums and surrounding rural areas. The cost of operating these vans will be shared by the organizations.

Each Smile on Wheels mobile hospital provides a wide range of medical care from minor surgery to malnutrition treatment. The program also has a special focus on women and children, providing health and hygiene education as well as vitamins, immunizations and prenatal services.

In addition, when Smile on Wheels can’t treat a severe medical problem, the van drives the patient to the nearest medical facility.

The program hopes to improve the health of their patients, but also teach them the importance of wellness and identifying when to seek medical care.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Be a part of OBI's ongoing medical relief efforts by making an online contribution to help those suffering from extreme poverty and sickness.