Lifeline Express – the hospital on wheels – completed its visit to Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on December 21. The 11^th journey of the train sponsored by Tata Steel was unique in two ways. For one, it reached out to a location, where Tata Steel is yet to establish operations. It was, thus, the forerunner of the services the Company will provide to the local population. Second, for the first time the Express and the doctors were unable to cater to the overwhelming load they had to face.

All the patients who registered could not be attended to – so overwhelming is the poverty and lack of medical services in Bastar.

Over 3900 patients registered for the Camp, jointly organised by Tata Steel, Government of Chhattisgarh, Indian Railway and Impact India. 632 were operated on, 235 received aids and appliances, while thousands underwent free treatment and were given medicines.

The Camp has certainly created hope in the hearts of many others that Tata Steel would find a way to alleviate their suffering. Given the time constraint of a week for doctors to attend to patients with specific ailments arrangements

A crutch allows this young recipient to gain mobility and emotional security

(L to R) Senior Company and district officials with Mr Baliram Kacchyap (third from left) and Mr Lachhuram Kachhyap (extreme right)

It took decades for this lady to find medical help, till Tata Steel extended a helping hand

were made by Tata Steel to operate on 120 patients with eye ailments, at a special camp. Quite naturally, at the concluding ceremony Mr Lachhuram Kachhyap, MLA, Chitrakot felt that the Lifeline Express had left “an invaluable imprint of Tata Steel,” in the region. He especially praised the Company’s doctors, who had volunteered to visit these interior villages to help ensure that patients benefited from the Camp.

Expressing the hope that the Camp would change lives, Mr Varun Jha explained that “poverty is the most debilitating factor leading to the onset of diseases. It can only be fought when people find new opportunities for income generation and employment.”