Ahmedabad, Nov 21 (IANS) More than 13.5 lakh people in Gujarat have benefited from OPD services offered by the state’s 137 mobile health–medical units, which have become lifeline facilities delivering essential healthcare to remote and underserved communities.

Guided by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and led by Health Minister Praful Pansheriya, the initiative is ensuring that primary healthcare reaches the last mile.

Taking into account the state’s diverse geography, 102 mobile health units and 35 mobile medical units operate across Gujarat, including 80 in tribal belts, 23 in salt-pan (Agariya) areas, 11 in desert regions, four in forest zones, and 19 in general rural areas.

As of September 2025, the units have collectively served more than 13.5 lakh citizens through OPD consultations, conducted lab tests for more than five lakh people, provided antenatal care to more than 8,000 women, and identified more than 1,000 high-risk pregnancies.

Each mobile unit is stationed at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) to ensure seamless coordination and timely delivery of services.

Their daily operations follow action plans and fixed routes prepared by primary health centres (PHC) medical officers, Total Health Solutions and Chief District Health Officers, enabling structured, reliable outreach tailored to local healthcare needs.

These mobile units are playing a pivotal role in strengthening grassroots healthcare accessibility across the state.

Mobile health-medical units are specially equipped vans that take essential healthcare services directly to people living in remote, tribal, desert, forest and underserved rural areas where access to hospitals is limited.

Staffed with medical officers and paramedics, these units offer basic OPD consultations, medicines, lab tests, antenatal care, screening for high-risk cases, and health education.

By travelling to villages on fixed routes, they ensure that primary healthcare — especially for vulnerable populations — reaches citizens at their doorstep, reducing delays in treatment and strengthening last-mile health access across the state.

Gujarat’s healthcare system combines a strong public infrastructure with rapid expansion of specialised services, offering a wide network of primary health centres, community health centres, district hospitals, medical colleges and super-speciality institutions across the state.

The state government has focused on last-mile delivery through initiatives like Mobile Health–Medical Units, 108 emergency services, maternal and child health programmes, and digital health systems.

Urban hubs such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat host advanced private hospitals and research facilities, while major public institutions like Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society and AIIMS Rajkot are strengthening tertiary care.

With ongoing investments in infrastructure, technology, disease surveillance and workforce capacity, Gujarat continues to position itself as a model for accessible, efficient and proactive healthcare delivery.

–IANS

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