On 16 July 1991, healthcare in India scaled new heights with the launch of the world’s first hospital on wheels, Lifeline Express.
Founded by Zelma Lazarus, the chief objective of the train also called Jeevan Rekha Express is to make healthcare accessible to everyone, especially those residing in the lesser developed and disaster-affected areas of India.
Mumbai-based NGO Impact India Foundation in collaboration with Indian Railways and The Ministry of Health helped materialize the noble vision of transporting medical aid free of cost to the unprivileged in rural areas.
Lack of medical care is one of the leading causes of death in rural India. This initiative has brought healthcare access to regions otherwise afflicted with medical negligence.
Following in the footsteps of India, other countries like China and Bangladesh also replicated the hospital train.
The inauguration of Lifeline Express is indeed a virtuous effort toward making healthcare a basic right for many to whom it still remains a luxury.
Also Read: Things You Should Take Care Of Before Boarding A Train In India
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Wikipedia, The Hindu, NDTV
Find the blogger: @microrgasm
