Kolkata: From helping elderly residents regain their vision to providing life-saving surgeries for minors, Sebaashray medical camps assisted 12.3 lakh people in Diamond Harbour. Launched by MP and Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Jan 2, the final leg of the initiative concluded on Thursday.
In the past 75 days, 70 days of camps and 5 days of mega camps were held to bring doorstep delivery of medical services. According to sources, Sebaashray provided free consultations, diagnostic tests and essential medicines as well as treatments such as cataract surgeries and hearing support.
During this initiative, Altaf (9) underwent heart surgery at JIMS Hospital on Jan 18, with the help of over 20 specialists. Banerjee personally intervened in this case. Sheikh Hasibul (21) got surgery at Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals on Feb 10 to get rid of the spinal tumour that paralysed his left leg, leaving him dependent on a wheelchair.
Neha Maji (3), diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy-Type 3, got help from Sebaashray that her family would not otherwise have been able to afford. Banerjee helped her secure a consultation with a paediatric neurologist at NIMHANS, Bengaluru. She also got regular physiotherapy as well as travel and medical arrangements. Almisha Khatun (2), who had a complicated nerve disease, also got a consultation at NIMHANS.
Patients from outside Bengal, too, got help. Asha (58) from Rajasthan received aid from Sebaashray camps during her visit to Ganga Sagar Mela. A migrant labourer from UP also benefited from the camps.