Odisha Messiah: Doctor opens a "one rupee" clinic in Odisha to help poor people

To make healthcare facilities available to the underprivileged, Shankar Ramchandani, assistant professor at VIMSAR, opened up a "one rupee" clinic in Odisha.

The Coronavirus pandemic had an adverse impact on the healthcare sector when it hit in 2020. And, with the situation not having much improved in 2021, a doctor opened up a "one rupee" clinic in Odisha.

Shankar Ramchandani, assistant professor in the department of medicine at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, started the service to treat poor and underprivileged people.

The clinic has been set up at the Kachha Market area in Burla town. It opens between 7 am to 8 am and gets closed between 6 pm to 7 pm.

Fixed ambition

The 38-year-old doctor always had a longing to serve those people who could not afford proper health care facilities. However, he was not allowed to do private practice as he was a senior resident at VIMSAR. As soon as he got promoted as an assistant professor, he opened the clinic by renting a house.

Mr. Ramchandani always wanted to help people who stand in a long queue to meet doctors at VIMSAR. However, through this clinic, he did not want people to feel that they are availing of a free service. Hence, he decided to charge Rs 1. from the patients.

The clinic, inaugurated on February 12, saw 33 patients on the first day.

His father, Brahmanand Ramchandani, wanted him to open a nursing home. Though, he could not open it after realizing that a nursing home requires a huge investment. He also figured out that it was not possible for him to charge Rs. 1 from patients in a nursing home.

Mr. Ramchandani had received a huge appreciation from the media in 2019 when he had carried a leprosy patient with his arms and dropped him in his house. Even in October 2020, he had attended a COVID-19 patient and had carried him in his car to VIMSAR.

Also Read: Overwhelmed by all the Coronavirus news? Mumbai Doctors have set up COVID-19 Helpline to answer your queries for free!

For more such stories follow Local Samosa on Facebook,  Instagram,  Twitter, and Telegram.