Hospital on wheels parks at Bhopal's Habibganj

BHOPAL: Ayush Verma, who suffers from skin problem for long, was unable to get treatment because of monetary constraints. Now, he has opportunity to get treated by medical specialists on world’s first hospital on wheels ‘Lifeline Express’ at Habibganj station for almost twenty days.
To Verma and countless others like him who have little or no financial means to bear medical expense, medical service offered by specialists with help of state-of-art equipment, come as a beacon of hope.Last time, Lifeline Express had rolled into city in the year 1997.
During its halt in Bhopal, a team of specialist doctors will treat cases of cleft lip, post-burn contracture release, orthopaedic corrective surgeries, epilepsy, ear, eye and teeth related issues. The hospital on train, which came from Raichur, Karnataka, will go to Mumbai from here.
Lifeline Express chief executive officer Dr Rajnish Gourh told TOI medical teams comprising 50 specialist doctors from famous hospitals from across the country will treat patients. Doctors and support staff from hospitals in capital will assist touring medical team.
Lifeline Express experts would interact with faculty members and students at local medical colleges.
The service is being run by Impact India Foundation with Indian Railways since 1991 to provide medical service to patients in rural and remote areas. Dr Vaibhav, representing Impact India Foundation, an NGO, said, “Lifeline Express has completed 23 years of glorious service. More than one lakh surgeries were performed and over 10 lakh patients were treated free in 162 camps across India in this time,” he said. Bhopal is 163rd camp.
The train comprising five air-conditioned coaches moves across the country. Two coaches double as operation theatre and the hospital has five operation tables.