Bangalore: It was a day cardiologist Dr B Ramana Rao will remember forever. Meeting the 'Gandhi-like' Anna Hazare on his farm where he also runs a free clinic every Sunday would remain a highlight in his career.
Dr Rao's work had drawn Hazare to this tiny village. Rao has been running a clinic for 36 years. "People with simple health issues come to me. This can be fixed with a little bit of attention," he said.
The most common problem is asthma. The village's proximity to Bangalore has something to do with it. Arthritis, usual infections, gastritis, osteoporosis, anaemia, and cataract are other complaints that Rao sees in the almost 700 to 1,000 patients that he sees every Sunday. "The population of this village is about 400 to 500. On some days, we see as many as 1,000. That means people in the 30km to 60km radius are coming here. This shows that the area lacks basic medical care," Rao said.
Despite the work that has gone on for close to four decades, little has changed in the village. Infrastructure, transport, medical facilities are scarce. Buses could ply more frequently for the benefit of the hundreds. Every Sunday, transport from Dobbespet, Nelamangala to this point could be organised.
"On an average, patients and attendants spend about Rs 160 to come here and return to the village. If their commute is made easier, it would make a big difference to them," he said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment