Medical and Mobile Clinics, India

Shechen Medical and Mobile Clinics in Bodhgaya, India, bring health care to the people of the Bihar region, a population made up of Hindus, Buddhists, and the Dalit caste, the poorest segment of the Indian population, who have no other medical resource. Seventy-five percent of the patients are women and children.

Shechen Medical Clinic is an allopathic clinic and dispensary where patients of all ages, gender, and castes come to receive care and medications at no charge. The clinic's programs include general medical consultations, a DOTS Program for tuberculosis treatment, family planning, and safe motherhood. Services include a pathology laboratory and electrocardiograms.

The clinic conducts a medical camp for the Dalit people monthly in the heart of the town of Bodhgaya so that this under-served population can finally have access to basic health care and referral services. It serves as a vital home base for the Mobile Clinic, and its staff trains and monitors Karuna-Shechen's health education programs.

Shechen Mobile Clinic is an effective outreach program that makes regular weekly stops at twelve villages 12 - 60 km. from the main clinic, providing free health services to the regional population of 100,000. The medical mobile team (a doctor, nurse, and pharmacist) offers the poor and infirm an opportunity to consult a physician, get treatment and advice, and receive medications. Often even the most basic medical help can save lives, especially for young children. Mothers and children represent 81% of the patients.

Village coordinators work in the villages to train groups of villagers to integrate safe water use, sanitation, and good hygiene practices in their lives. This training and the follow-up home visits have resulted in a significant decrease in health complaints. Patients from 69 “satellite” villages close to the twelve villages also attend these programs.

Karuna-Shechen has installed a series of deep tube wells in many of the villages to avert the spread of fluorosis and other water-borne diseases. It is also working on other ways of providing safe water.  Recently a program to install solar electricity in the villages has been implemented.

In an average month 3,000 patients benefit from the combined services of the Shechen Medical and Mobile Clinics. By working through these combined services and health education outreach programs Karuna-Shechen responds directly and comprehensively to the basic health needs of the surrounding population.

Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche was the original founder of these two major medical programs. Global Healing and our friends at Google have been our partners in the creation of the new building for the clinic. We have partnered with the Barefoot College for solar electricity in the villages and rainwater harvesting.