A CORRESPONDENT
BISWANATH CHARIALI: Karuna Trust, a Bengaluru-based NGO working for rural health uplift for the last four decades under the guidance of Padmashree Dr. H Sudarshan, launched recently its first boat clinic along the Brahmaputra River covering six administrative units of Biswanath and Lakhimpur districts in Assam.
Pranab Kumar Sarmah, Deputy Commissioner of Biswanath, inaugurated the boat clinic in the presence of Aditya Vikram Yadav, SDO (C), Gohpur. The solar powered boat clinic having OPD services, emergency inpatient services and delivery services is expected to cater to 1.5 lakh population, predominantly 70 per cent belonging to the Mishing tribal community residing in different island and riverine areas of the mighty River Brahmaputra. It has also a full-fledged laboratory and pharmacy in addition to minor OT facility to take care of emergency cases.
The clinic is attached with Vivekananda Base Hospital at Gohpur which is one of the docking points for the boat. Furthermore, the boat clinic will also be used in providing flood rescue and rehabilitation services and food relief services in case of any deluge in the working area.