Tata Steel takes
Lifeline Express
to the interiors of Chhattisgarh
The 11th Lifeline Express was flagged off
on December 3 at Jagdalpur Railway Station in Chhattisgarh. But rather than travel away,
over twenty days it brought relief and freedom to many trapped by their ability to escape
from disability. Tata Steel, in collaboration with the Indian Railways, Impact India
Foundation and Government of Chhattisgarh organized this journey of the Lifeline Express
to provide health care and basic health facilities in the remote rural areas of the tribal
State. The inauguration of Lifeline Express in Jagdalpur coincided with the World
Disability Day.
Lifeline Express offered on the spot
diagnostic, medical and surgical interventions to the disabled, free of cost to those who
have to live with congenital or diseases that relate to deformities due to lack of
resources and awareness on the treatment possible for them. It epitomises an
Mr Varun Jha, Vice President, Chhattisgarh
Project shares a few insights on the Lifeline Express with Ms Geetesh Mall, Mr Baliram
Kacchyap and Mr G S Mishra.
international initiative, which began in
1981 in England to prevent and cure avoidable disablement. In 1991, Tata Steel began
sponsoring trips of the Lifeline Express to take the mobile hospital to the remote corners
of our country. Patients with operable Orthopedic (post-polio deformities) disabilities,
hearing disorders, cleft lip and Ocular disabilities, which are operable, undergo
corrective surgeries and appropriate medical aid during the 20 days camp.
The hospital on wheels halted at
Jagdalpur Railway Station till December 23, 2006 and during this period Tata Steel
provided free health services, inclusive of diagnosis, surgery, medicines and food, for
patients and one attendant along with them. |
|
Mr Baliram Kacchyap, MP, Bastar at the inauguration ceremony
of the Lifeline Express
The Life Line Express Camp at Jagdalpur
was inaugurated by Mr Baliram Kacchyap, Member of Parliament, Bastar, in the presence of
Mr. G S Mishra, Collector Bastar, Ms Geetesh Mall, Mayor, Jagdalpur Municipal Corporation
and Mr Varun Jha, Vice President, Chhattisgarh Project, Tata Steel. Speaking on the
occasion, the Chief Guest Mr B Kacchyap commended the effort made by Tata Steel to provide
health care and medical services to villagers living in remote areas.
This is the eleventh time that Tata Steel
has sponsored the Lifeline Express. It has earlier taken the Lifeline Express to remote
locations such as Chainpur, Jamadoba, Noamundi, Bamnipal, Gopalpur, Ghatsila, Jassidih,
Bheltand, Jajpur and Sini. More than 400,000 among the poorest of the poor have benefited
from these visits of the hospital on wheels.
Mrs Shakti Sharma, Head, SS and FI explains
Tata Steel’s plans for rural development to Mr Kacchyap as Mr Jha looks on |
