Mobile OPD vans bring free consultations, medicines to Pune's underserved slums

Pune: Mobile OPD vans operating in Pune’s underserved settlements are helping residents access primary healthcare without the need to travel to hospitals or lose a day’s wages. The initiative, run by non-governmental organisations, is bringing consultations, basic diagnostic services and free medicines closer to communities where distance, work schedules and treatment costs can discourage people from seeking timely care.

In Laxminagar, Yerawada, residents can visit a Smile Foundation mobile outpatient department (OPD) stationed at a familiar location. The vans follow a fixed schedule, returning to the same spots twice a month and allowing patients to plan consultations around their work and other responsibilities.

For many residents, travelling to the nearest public healthcare facility is not always convenient. Rajiv Gandhi Maternity Hospital, run by the Pune Municipal Corporation, is the closest government facility for people in Laxminagar, but the journey can take around 30 minutes. Its OPD timings are also restricted, making visits difficult for daily-wage earners and people working shifts.

A resident first began using the mobile clinic during her pregnancy in 2024. She received supplements and guidance on maternal and infant vaccination from the medical team and has continued visiting the van for healthcare needs. Another regular patient, a watchman managing diabetes and hypertension, said he could consult the doctor after completing his shift. The clinic also provides him with a free 15-day supply of medicines.

The services extend beyond routine consultations. The vans offer basic blood tests, eye screenings, antenatal care and screening for vector-borne and water-borne infections. Patients requiring specialised investigations or further treatment are referred to government or charitable hospitals.

According to the foundation’s general manager for health initiatives and disaster response, three vans operate in Pune daily and screen an average of 90 patients. The organisation estimates that its mobile clinics cover around 4,500 patient screenings every month in the city, with a wider network operating across most districts of Maharashtra.

“The core objective of the mobile OPD is to strengthen preventive health and raise awareness within the community,” the general manager of programmes (health initiatives and disaster response) at the foundation said. “While we do not conduct specialised testing, our doctors provide clinical diagnoses and refer patients to the nearest government or charitable hospitals when needed. We actively screen for vector-borne and water-borne infections, alongside providing crucial antenatal care (ANC). Our robust database allows us to provide real-time inputs to the government healthcare machinery so they can plan targeted interventions. As an immediate impact, we have significantly slashed out-of-pocket expenses for our patients, helped them manage chronic conditions effectively, and eased the structural burden on public hospitals”, TOI reported.

However, mobile OPDs are designed to complement, not replace, established healthcare facilities. Their ability to improve access also depends on the availability of referral services and whether patients can continue treatment after being directed to hospitals. The initiative highlights how bringing primary care closer to neighbourhoods can address practical barriers that the presence of a hospital alone may not resolve.