The Lifeline Express to get two more coaches for cancer treatment

The world’s first hospital train, Lifeline Express is all set to get two additional coaches for cancer treatment. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Railways on 5 December 2016.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu along with Health Minister JP Nadda will be inaugurating the new additions. The coaches are purely equipped for detection and control of oral, cervical and breast cancer and prevention of stroke. They will be accompanied by three fully equipped operation theatres.

These additions just add more strength to the existing life-saving services present on the five-coach train, as it is already equipped to conduct surgeries for sight, hearing, clefts, burns, broken bones and treatment of epilepsy and dental issues.

Around 10000 people are estimated to benefit from the project at each location.

About the Lifeline Express

• Funded by Impact UK, the project was developed by the Indian Railways and Union health Ministry.
• It also receives funding from international charitable sources, Indian corporate houses, and individuals.
• The train became fully functional on 16 July 1991.
• The main objective behind the service was to provide immediate medical aid to disabled adults and children living in remote and otherwise inaccessible areas of India, where advanced medical services are not available.
• It has by far treated over one million disabled poor Indians living in the rural areas, completely free of cost.
• The train’s staff comprises around 200,000 medical professionals from across the world, all of whom have donated their services for the cause.
• The train has taken up almost 177 projects across the country and conducted more than one lakh surgeries.
• The service’s 178th project will start at Satna, Madhya Pradesh from 15 December 2016 and will go on until 5 January 2017.

Besides providing instant medical aid, the service aims to improve the efficiency of existing government body and health infrastructure and services in the remote areas. It also aims to encourage the local bodies to gain more understanding on the programme and then provide follow-up services once the train departs.