A free clinic and dispensary has opened at AD Block for the needy. Run by AIWC Salt Lake constituent branch, the centre is right next to the community hall and is open Mondays and Thursdays, 5pm to 8pm.
“Our members have been conducting surveys at slums in and around the township and identified health as a major problem among residents there,” said secretary of the centre, Bubu Basu. “Even when they are unwell, many of them do not visit the doctor as they would have to forego a day’s wages to queue up at the chamber all day. Such a clinic shall be very useful for them.”
In fact, Basu’s husband, gynaecologist Debranjan Basu, is the first doctor to volunteer to tend to the patients at the clinic. “I have my chamber at RB Diagnostic in CD Block and Shyambazar and but I consider it social service to practise here,” said Basu, a resident of AB Block.
The clinic has fast gained currency among domestic helps, rickshaw drivers etc and the inaugural day itself saw 25 patients. “We were overwhelmed and it was quite tough to manage so many people. So we have now decided to allow patients to come in till 7.30pm so we can shut shop by 8,” said treasurer Chaitali Banerjee.
Dr Basu said most cases thus far have been for body ache, joint pain, skin infection and viral fever. There were two cases of eye and gall bladder issues for which I referred the patients to specialists,” he said. There has risen a demand for a pediatrician too and the clinic is trying to arrange for one once a month.
“The pandemic has taken its toll on our funding as well as the upkeep of our building and renovations are underway. But we have received immense help from different quarters For instance, our dispensary is stocked with medicines donated by doctors. We haven’t had to buy any yet,” said president Mita Mitra.
A member, Bijoya Saha, has donated a blood sugar testing machine, they have a weighing machine from before, have purchased a bed for doctors to check patients on and have appointed an attendant to help out. The centre has received some financial assistance from its Delhi headquarters.
Dipankar Jana, caretaker of an FE Block house, had come to the clinic last week to seek relief from stomach problems. “It helps that this clinic runs in the evenings, so I can complete my work and come. Also, it’s good that it’s free of cost,” he said.
