A heart care bus to help health camps in villages of RID 3212
In order to provide free and quality heart care to the villagers in all the seven revenue districts that come under RI District 3212, the district has acquired a state-of-the-art healthcare bus costing over ₹1 crore.
RID 3212 PDG V R Muthu said that during his term as district governor (2022–23), this project was conceived under a global grant amounting to $121,000 (over ₹1 crore) with an American club, RC Las Vegas Won (RID 5300), being the international partner. “According to WHO statistics, 75 per cent of deaths from heart attacks and strokes occur in developing countries. We all know that healthcare facilities, leave alone medical care in specialties such as cardiology, neurology, etc, are lacking in rural areas. Hence we decided to get a modern, fully equipped heart care bus — which we have named Karmaveerar Kamarajar Heart Care Bus — that can visit different villages and conduct screening camps for the villagers to test them for possible ailments,” he said.
This airconditioned bus named after a former chief minister of Tamil Nadu is equipped with an ECG machine, ultrasound diagnostic system and a defibrillator, and comes with power back-up and an audio visual system enabling the playing of video snippets connected to heart care. The bus is manned by a team comprising qualified doctors, nurses, Echo and ECG technicians, and volunteers from RID 3212, and a couple of other persons to ensure smooth conduct of the camp being executed by a Rotary club.
PDG Muthu said this bus will be stationed at the Kauvery Hospital in Tirunelveli, and since its launch two months ago, it has completed 10 health camps held in different villages. The clubs in RID 3212, which plan to hold screening camps in villages, have to book this bus 20 days prior to the camp, after preparing the venue, getting the necessary permissions and organising the logistics. Asked if the clubs have to pay anything to press the bus into service, Muthu said: “All they will have to pay is the cost of fuel to take it from the Kauvery Hospital to the camp site !”
During the camps, the beneficiaries are screened for hypertension, diabetes, heart-related ailments and given a general medical check-up too. During the 10 heart camps held with the aid of this heart care bus, 1,346 individuals have been screened, 623 people have availed the ECG facility and 387 people undergone Echo cardiogram tests; “70 villagers have been diagnosed with some medical problems requiring further treatment at a hospital and advised appropriately. We are pleased to note that our bus has been booked by Rotary clubs in our district till March 2025. We think it’s not only our responsibility, but also a privilege to be able to serve the healthcare needs of fellow Indians who do not have adequate access to quality medical facilities,” he added.
If anybody requires medical procedures related to serious heart conditions, Rotary will help the person gain access to government funds that have been earmarked for the healthcare requirements of the needy, he said.
More details about the planning of medical camps using this special bus can be got by the district Rotarians from T Sudalaivel, a member of RC Virudhunagar Idhayam. Mobile no: 97509 55445.
