International President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Praveen Togadia on Wednesday said 5,000 specialist doctors had come forward to provide free medical consultation to poor patients under the VHP’s “India Health Line” which was being slowly extended to different regions of the country.
Addressing press persons here on Wednesday, Mr Togadia, who himself is a medical professional, said VHP had plans to rope in 30,000 specialist doctors to provide free consultation and with their assistance planned to reach out to one crore poor patients.
Mr. Togadia said that initially the focus was on providing free consultation and subsequently the health coordinators of VHP would help the patients get further treatment at government hospitals or through benevolent private hospitals. “In fact around 15 private hitech hospitals in the country have come forward to provide free surgery and treatment facilities to poor patients and we hope that in the coming days their number will increase”, he said.
Elaborating on the programme, he said that there would be a common toll free number across the country (18602333666) and any poor patient calling on this number would be directed to the local health coordinator. In turn, the coordinator would assist the patient in getting free consultation at the locally available specialist doctor and later, at the government or private hospital. Mr Togadia said any person, irrespective of their caste, community and religion, could avail themselves of the service.
Education
Mr Togadia said that VHP was already providing free primary education in 53,000 villages across the country and had plans to extend it to one lakh villages in the coming years. While the number of free hostels stood at 57 now, the plan was to increase it to 500, he said.
Hubli Health Line
Later in the evening, Mr Togadia formally launched the India Health Line service for Hubli. VHP national vice president Rajmaata Chandrakanta Devi, Member of the VHP Golden Jubilee Reception Committee Vijay Sankeshwar, Working President of VHP Karnataka Uttar Prant G.H. Naregal and others were present.
