Heart clinic on wheels launches in Kashmir by Dr. Upendra Kaul

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, India’s reputed cardiologist Upendra Kaul on Thursday launched a project -- 'Heart Clinic on Wheels' -- to provide healthcare facilities in the remote pockets of south Kashmir’s Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts.

The mobile hospital will also be used for school surveys to detect rheumatic and congenital heart diseases, besides obesity in children aged between 5 and15 years, Kaul said.

He said the innovative project, part of the ambitious 'No Heart Attack' mission, has been started by Gauri Kaul Foundation (GKF) in collaboration with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).

The mobile hospital has all the facilities and advanced diagnostic equipment like ECG, portable echocardiography with doppler, ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring for complete non-invasive assessment of heart, he said at the launch of the 'Heart Clinic on Wheels' in Hawal village of Pulwama.

To begin with, the clinic will serve in three remote areas of Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam, the doctor said.

"We started Gauri Kaul Foundation in 2021. So far, we have made four telemedicine centres in Machil in Kupwara, Srinagar and Pulwama in Kashmir and Jagti Colony in Jammu. We wanted to do something for the people living in far flung areas who had no access to medical facilities,” he said.

Kaul, founder-director of GKF, said the initiative funded by IOC has got equipment worth Rs 78 lakh.

“We will go to Ayushman wellness centres and examine 100 patients in each district. We will provide them starter medical kits and then after every three months, we will examine them again to check how much the patients got benefitted and submit a report to concerned authorities,” he said.

Kaul said the mobile hospital also has the capabilities to perform important blood biochemistry and point of care tests on-the-spot to detect heart failure (NT-Pro BNP), heart muscle injury (Troponins), preexisting diabetes (HbA1c), blood coagulation profile including INR and D Dimer and inflammatory marker (hs-CRP).

These tests would scientifically diagnose the major risk factors of high blood pressure, the level of control of blood sugar and heart failure of all the types, Kaul said.

The patients, he said, would also be provided appropriate generic drugs from the Janaushidi besides follow-up visits will be done and all the tests repeated at three-month intervals.

“The effects of the treatment will be assessed and compliance of the patients ascertained. A final report will be made and circulated to the health authorities,” he said.

Kaul said the heart clinic will also be used for school surveys to detect rheumatic and congenital heart diseases, besides obesity in children aged 5-15 years.

“This would be the 2nd part of this project. Affected children, their teachers and parents would be advised appropriate prophylactic measures and counselled regarding diet and exercise,” he added.

The doctor said his mission is "no heart attacks", requesting non-governmental organisations to come forward and help the foundation to take this initiative forward.

“It has to be a partnership between private and government organisations. This is a humble beginning and we hope it helps the people in the remote areas,” he said.