Doctor opens 'One Rupee' clinic for poor people in Odisha

Keeping up with the medicalethics of serving humanity, a doctor in Odisha's Sambalpurdistrict has opened a 'One Rupee' clinic to provide treatmentto the poor and underprivileged people.

Shankar Ramchandani, an assistant professor in thedepartment of medicine at Veer Surendra Sai Institute ofMedical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), has started thefacility in Burla town where patients have to pay just onerupee for receiving medicare.

Ramchandani's wife Sikha Ramchandani, a dental surgeon,is helping him in the pioneering work.

The clinic was inaugurated on Friday and 33 patientscame to the clinic on the first day, the doctor said.

Located 330 km north-west of Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur doesnot have adequate medical infrastructure apart from thegovernment-run Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciencesand Research (VIMSAR), formerly Burla Medical College (BMC)and Veer Surendra Sai Medical College and Hospital (VSSMCH).

And in such a condition the innovative idea of a medicoto render treatement on a paltry fee of Rs one is a boon forthe masses.

Ramchandani said that the one rupee fee clinic is partof his long-standing desire to provide free treatment to thepoor and underprivileged beyond duty hour.

''I joined VIMSAR as a senior resident and the seniorresidents are not allowed to do private practice. Hence, Icould not start the 'One-Rupee' clinic.

''But I was promoted as assistant professor recently and asan assistant professor, I am allowed to do private practiceafter my duty hours. Hence, I have started the clinic in arented house now'', said the 38-year-old doctor.

Asked why he charges Rs 1 token amount, Ramchandani said,''I charge one rupee from the poor and underprivileged peopleas I don't want them to feel that they are availing theservice free of cost. They should also think that they havepaid some money for their treatment.'' The clinic, which has been set up at the Kachha Marketarea in Burla town remain open from 7 am to 8 am in themorning and 6 pm to 7 pm in the evening.

The 'One-Rupee' clinic has provided him with anopportunity to serve the poor, destitute, unprivileged,elderly persons, physically challenged people and the peoplewho do not have access to proper medical care.

''I am a doctor of the masses and not the classes'', hesaid.

Ramchandani said hundreds of people regularly come tothe OPD of VIMSAR and one can find a long queue of patients toconsult doctors.

''I have seen elderly people and people with disabilitieswaiting for hours for consultation with doctors in OPD. Theydont need to wait for hours and suffer at the hospital. Theycan come to my clinic and get consultation at Rupee 1 only,''he added.

Ramchandani, who had hit the headlines when he took aleprosy patient carrying on his arms and dropped him in hishouse in 2019, said, ''my late father, Brahmanand Ramchandanihad told me to set up a nursing home.

''But a nursing home requires huge investment and it isnot possible to provide treatment to poor people at Rupee 1 ina nursing home. Hence, I decided to open this 'One-Rupee'clinic.'' Ramchandani had received widespread appreciation when heattended a COVID-19 patient beyond his duty hour and alsocarried the patient to VIMSAR in his car amid the scourge ofnovel coronavirus in October last year.