The state health department introduced six mobile health centres — mobile vans — in Alipurduar and South Dinajpur districts to decentralise healthcare and bring essential medical services directly to remote and underserved communities.

Three mobile vans reached each district, and they have been sent to remote villages and tea gardens to provide healthcare services to people.

In South Dinajpur, the mobile health centres will be deployed in the Assembly constituencies of Gangarampur, Kushmandi and Kumarganj. “Soon, similar vans will be introduced in the remaining three constituencies of the district”, said a source in the district health department.

Each mobile van includes a medical officer, nurse, technician and essential equipment. The units come with an onboard laboratory, allowing blood tests and other diagnostics to be conducted directly inside the van.

“We are deploying these travelling clinics in three locations to provide primary care, diagnostic services and support for government healthcare schemes. The vehicles will move into different areas and conduct health camps. With facilities like onboard laboratories, the residents will receive early treatment near their homes,” said Balasubramaniam T, the district magistrate of South Dinajpur.

Sudip Das, the chief medical officer of health (CMOH), said these vans will also organise eye check-up camps under the “Chokher Alo” scheme of the state government, where free glasses will be provided to those who need them.

Similar mobile units serve tea gardens and forest villages in Alipurduar, which are far from hospitals. The first such health camp was conducted on Friday at the Subhasini tea estate in Kalchini block of the district, which was affected by the recent floods of October 5.

The mobile units will initially operate in the Assembly constituencies of Kumargram, Madarihat and Kalchini — which have the highest concentration of tea estates and forest villages in the district, said a source.

“The mobile unit will also focus on pediatric and gynaecology services, along with routine blood tests and screening for malaria and dengue,” said a health official.