Polio high-risk districts: mobile clinics effective way of creating awareness

The recent initiative of mobile clinics in polio high risk districts has proved to be an effective way of creating awareness among the masses besides providing health facilities to destitute people living in these areas and suburban localities who otherwise have no access to such diagnostic facilities.
The mobile health clinics have been set up on board vans that are designed in such a manner to create space for a room, which is being used as an examination centre for a doctor. At present eight vehicles are operating in the province of Sindh while three each are functional in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources in Prime Minister's Polio Monitoring Cell revealed. The federal government in collaboration with international bodies has initiated.
Sources said the project was financed by Unesco while doctors were provided by the respective district governments. Sources added that since July 2013, all units nearly provided health facilities to over 100,000 needy people so far in 17 districts like Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Rajanpur, Quetta, Kila Abudllah, Pishin, Lakki Marwat, Mardan, Charssada, Karachi 3, Hydarabad, Khairpur, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacoabad.
The mobile health clinics, conceptualised and supported by Unesco Pakistan, came at a time when provincial governments across the country are facing severe criticism for under-performance with regards to routine immunisation and child health education for mothers.
Imagine that the majority of Pakistan, which lives below the poverty line or are from that segment which struggles for every meal; has no option but to live in neighbourhoods that are deprived of basic amenities of life and even government does not offer any health facility for the children. Now, think of a mobile clinic fully equipped and a qualified doctor on board parked in the street near slums and villages to offer free medical advice. This dream is now a reality as Nounaihal Clinic or Mobile Health Clinics are providing free medical examinations and advise in low income localities in 17 districts across Pakistan.
The mobile health clinic operates in the supervision of the district administration which assigns a doctor to accompany it. The clinic is parked at a prominent place in slum localities as per the daily plan where free medical examination and advice is given to parents on child health issues.
The social mobilizer assigned with the mobile clinic conducts awareness sessions for groups of parents who bring their children to the clinic with an aim to generate demand for vaccination. The parents are also provided material on importance and schedule of immunisation.
Besides provision of health facilities to people of all ages and gender, these mobile units are being used for dissemination of basic information about health related issues. Leaflets are being shared with visiting people besides carrying out routine medical check-up and subsequent medical advice. Basically, it is an interactive session with the poor people, who are in dire need of health facilities.