HLFPPT & DLF conduct Free Health Check-up Camp

NOIDA:
Residents of slum clusters in Sectors 16, 17 and 18 in Noida got a free health check-up today as a team of doctors and lab technicians operating from a mobile medical van screened them for a slew of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
More than 150 slum dwellers turned up at the Health Camp at Community Centre in Sector 16 as the medical team conducted haemoglobin, sugar and cholesterol levels besides ECG. The residents were also given free medical consultation. The theme of the health camp was ‘Life Style Diseases.’
The health camp was part of a project called “Merrymobile” – a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) that offers primary healthcare services at the doorstep of the underserved communities. HLFPPT (Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust) – a leading not-for-profit organisation in the health sector – is implementing this project in Noida with the support of DLF Foundation – the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) arm of real estate major DLF Ltd.
Launched in January this year, it caters to the health needs of residents living in and around three slum clusters (in Sector 16, 17 and 18) and three villages (Harola, Chalera and Bhangel) in Noida. It provides an array of preventive, promotive and curative healthcare services, including basic diagnostic tests and referral services. It also conducts awareness among community members, especially on Maternal and Child Health, encouraging them to develop positive health-seeking behaviour. Merrymobile has so far reached out to more than 3,400 patients since its launch.
“At DLF Foundation, we have always stressed on sustainability. To achieve our goal of a disease-free society, it is important to adopt a healthy lifestyle through a multi-pronged strategy integrating preventive and promotive healthcare besides curative services. Most of the underprivileged in these slum clusters are labourers and daily wagers who do not have the time or resource to tend to their health. The camp was organized to serve them holistically and to take us a step closer to general wellness,” said Ritesh Sinha, Director (CSR), DLF Ltd.
Sharad Agarwal,CEO, HLFPPT, said it would be erroneous to think that lifestyle diseases are confined only to the upper and middle classes. “Ailments like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes can affect any section the society, irrespective of its economic status,” he pointed out.
“By conducting free diagnostic tests and providing free medical consultation, we are trying to create awareness among the slum dwellers about a healthy lifestyle which is vital for preventing diseases,” he said. To motivate the residents to turn out in large numbers at the health camp, a mobilization strategy was adopted by the MMU team. Regular announcements were made through mikes at religious places in the area. Banners were placed at important junctions and leaflets distributed to ensure maximum participation.
“We are unable to get our medical tests and treatment done in private hospitals. Camps like these are very beneficial for us; we get free consultation and check-ups done at our village only which saves our time and money” said Janki Devi, a resident of JJ Cluster in Sector 17..
The basic idea behind the MMU is to provide quality and affordable health services to the last mile by qualified professionals at a notional cost. The registration fee is Rs 10 which remains valid for four visits in a month. Medicine and consultation is absolutely free. For a diagnostic test, one has to pay an extra Rs 10.
Equipped with a doctor, a nurse and a lab technician, Merrymobile reaches out to one of the designated spots every day, providing curative and diagnostic services.  There is also provision of first aid, minor surgical procedures and suturing. In addition, it provides linkage to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and District Hospital in the area for referral and immunisation services.