Lifeline Express hosted by Tata Chemicals concludes at Babrala
March 4, 2011

	11,000 smiles, 30 days, one hospital on wheels
	Several polio corrective surgeries, ear operations, epilepsy counselling, dental checkups conducted

New Delhi: Tata Chemicals, for the third time in a row successfully hosted the world-famous hospital on wheels “Lifeline Express” through Impact India. This month-long community health project, as a part of the rural outreach programme, started on January 25, 2011, concluded on February 26, 2011, with over 11,000 patients being treated for various ailments; thus bringing smiles to people across Moradabad, Bulandsahar, Aligarh, Bhimnagar, Dangawan, Wasai, Molanpur and Rajpur.

The following treatment was administered by the Lifeline Express stationed at Babrala

	Polio corrective treatment was provided to 31 patients aged 10 to 18 years.
	An additional seven people were referred for wheelchairs and tricycles.
	33 ear operations was successfully carried out on patients aged 11 to 15 years.
	18 cleft-lip operations were performed on patients ranging from 2 to 12 years.
	433 cataract operations were performed.
	Epilepsy counselling was conducted for 146 patients by the doctor from AIIMS, Delhi.
	1,292 patients attended a dental camp organised for the first time.

The Lifeline Express consists of four railway coaches equipped with sophisticated medical and surgical facilities, as well as a training centre for doctors. Lifeline Express provides on-the-spot diagnostic, medical and surgical treatment completely free of charge, thus eliminating the expensive doctor fees. The camp provided patients with residential facilities and also conveyance to and from the camp to the nearest place to their residences.

A large number of volunteers from Babrala were assisting the Lifeline Express staff in regular work, while nursing staff from Ganga Sheel Nursing School, Bareily, and surgeons and anaesthetists from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh, assisted for the polio and cleft-lip surgeries and treatments onboard the Lifeline Express. The Kolkata Command Hospital provided the audiometer for ear treatments and the speech therapist was called in from Jaipur Hospital. Doctors from King George Medical College, Lucknow, helped with dental checkups while specialist from AIIMS helped in epilepsy counselling

On this achievement, Alka Talwar, head, community development, Tata Chemicals, said, “We are overwhelmed by the response to the Lifeline Express and are happy to know the number of lives touched through this initiative over the last one month. The objective of the Lifeline Express was not only to provide medical treatment to people in and around Babrala, but also sensitise them to adopt good hygiene and healthy habits. It has been an immensely fulfilling initiative and it reiterates our commitment towards the development of the people in areas in which we operate.”

Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD), the community development wing of Tata Chemicals, helped in mobilising the general public and informing them about the services offered during the month-long health project. Prior to the arrival of the Lifeline Express medical camp in Babrala, they conducted 25 OPDs in Bulandsahar and Bhimnagar with the help of the local administration. These OPDs received enthusiastic response from residents of Moradabad, Bulandsahar, Aligarh and Bhimnagar.

Equipped with state-of-the-art health facilities and a team of the finest doctors from AMU, King George Medical Centre, AIIMS, Gandhi Eye Hospital and other district hospitals, along with experienced health care workers, the treatments were done using the latest available gadgets and equipment which are minimally invasive in nature and which have a low turnaround time. The Lifeline Express treatment procedure involved a proper screening and advice prior to any treatment. More stress is given on the postoperative care, follow-up advice and detailed counselling to the patients and their families. If required, patients are also referred to hospitals for further necessary advanced treatment to get appropriate care.