Healthcare reachout: GKF launches mobile heart clinic for Kashmir’s hinterland population
Pulwama, Apr 10: In its endeavour to make healthcare accessible to people in Kashmir’s hinterland, Gauri Kaul Foundation (GKF), a philanthropic organisation, led by noted cardiologist Dr U Kaul on Thursday launched a mobile heart clinic for providing free healthcare service to the population in Kashmir’s rural areas. To begin with, the ‘Indian Oil Heart Clinic on Wheels’ will cater to patients in three south Kashmir districts - Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian- utilising the services of government-operated Wellness Centres, said Dr U Kaul at the inauguration of the mobile clinic at Gauri Kaul Foundation’s centre in Pulwama district’s Hawal village.
“Gauri Kaul Foundation realised the need of going closer to the community in far flung areas of the neighboring districts. Keeping this in mind and its ‘No Heart Mission’ GKF has launched its innovative Project the Indian Oil Heart Clinic on Wheels,” said Dr Kaul.
He said this innovative unit is built on an ambulance with all the advanced diagnostic equipment like, ECG, portable echocardiography with doppler, ambulatory BP for complete non-invasive assessment of the heart. “It also has the capabilities to perform important blood biochemistry and point of care tests on the spot to detect heart failure, diabetes and the level of its control and blood coagulation, just to name a few,” he said. The “Heart Clinic on wheels ‘will be extending its facility through the Ayushman Bharat Health and wellness centres (AB-HWCs) through partnering with them. He said that in the beginning we plan to see 100 patients in all these districts distributed equally at the 3 designated AB-HWCs. All will be subjected to the available tests in the innovative clinic. He added that these patients would also be provided appropriate generic drugs from the Janayushidi. “Follow up visits will be done and all the tests repeated at three monthly intervals at the same centres. The effects of the treatment will be assessed and compliance of the patients ascertained. A final report will be made and circulated to the health authorities while extending the project further,” he added.
The second mission of the project, according to Dr Kaul, will also be to extend the use of this mobile facility for school surveys and detect rheumatic and congenital heart disease besides obesity in children between 5 and 15 years of age in these 3 districts. Affected children their teachers and parents would be advised appropriate prophylactic measures and corrective procedures wherever indicated. They would be counselled regarding diet and exercise. Besides this service will also be used to detect infections of the heart in intra venous substance users, he added. Dr Kaul thanked Indian Oil Corporation especially Arif Akhtar, the CSR head and Ashutosh, Executive Director and M A Pathan, the former CEO of Indian Oil Corporation.
“It was Asad sahab who actually convinced the management of the IOC regarding the utility of this project. Finally, he appealed to the public to cooperate with the project and utilize the benefits to the maximum,” he added. Arif Akhtar GM HR, CSR IOCL described the project as a dream coming true for him when he went through the proposal from the GKF and it was liked by all the seniors. The Rs 78 lakh project was approved in a short period of time because of the credibility of GKF and its past work. He also stressed on IOC and its contribution to the nation at large.
Chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi praised Dr Kaul’s efforts during his life time in help giving health care to people from all walks of life. "Such CSR projects play important role in helping people at the grassroots. On wheels cardiology clinic will be a great boon for the ailing people. We have to think out of box to upgrade and enhance the medical facilities for the people", said Dr Andrabi. She hailed the efforts of Dr Kaul in helping the patients from his home place and also for his extensive awareness and rehabilitation initiatives. She appealed to the local businessmen to enhance their contribution in upgrading our health and education sectors particularly in rural areas.
Mian Altaf Ahmad Larvi, MP, spoke about the life time activities of Prof Kaul, his passion and zeal for providing health care to people of Kashmir from his days in AIIMS during the period in 1990’s and carried this mission. He said the setting up of a heart centre in village Hawal is an example of the spirit of giving back to the society. He lauded this noble project of extending modern health care to the doorsteps of the rural districts of the South Kashmir. The meeting ended by the vote of thanks by Dr Zubair Saleem Director, GKF.
