Thane:  In a significant boost to healthcare accessibility, the Thane district is set to expand its mobile medical unit initiative. Following the approval of the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Mahabhiyan (PM-Janman) by the Union Cabinet, a total of 10 mobile medical units will be deployed to serve 81 remote and extremely remote areas within the district. This initiative is part of the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of Specially Disadvantaged Tribal Groups (PVTG), including Katkari, Kolam, and Maria God tribes.

Key Highlights:

Deployment Details: Starting August 1, nine additional mobile medical units will join the existing unit already operational in Murbad and Shahapur talukas. The units will be strategically distributed across the district: three in Murbad taluka, three in Shahapur taluka, two in Bhiwandi taluka, one in Ambernath taluka, and one in Kalyan taluka.

Services Offered: Each mobile medical unit will offer a wide range of health services, including routine healthcare (RCH), immunization, sickle cell disease management, and non-communicable disease (NCD) diagnosis. The units will provide 18 types of medicines and 12 types of laboratory tests to residents in remote areas.

Staffing and Operations: Each mobile medical unit will be staffed by a team of four, including a Medical Officer, General Nursing Midwife (GNM), Lab Technician, and Pharmacist. The goal is to ensure comprehensive health services are accessible to the underserved populations in these remote areas.

Current Achievements: Between July 1 and July 23, the existing mobile medical unit in Shahapur and Murbad talukas has delivered 3,266 health services to patients across 38 tribal and remote areas.

District Health Officer Dr. Gangadhar Parge highlighted the importance of this initiative in addressing health disparities in remote regions. "The mobile medical units will play a crucial role in delivering essential health services and improving the overall health infrastructure in our district," Parge stated.

“This expansion is expected to significantly enhance the quality of healthcare available to the district's most underserved populations, contributing to better health outcomes and increased access to medical care”, said Parge.