Preventable and treatable diseases have been a huge burden for the African communities especially in the rural setting. It is quite unfortunate that the very diseases that have been successfully eradicated in developed countries are still causing so much havoc in the developing world. For the African continent to grow and prosper, it is essential that all the hindrances such as diseases and poverty are dealt with accordingly. This is the main reason why doctors have introduces mobile clinics.
A clinic on wheels can be set up anywhere
The reason behind the whole idea is to ensure that even the people living in the extreme rural areas can be reached and treated or educated in terms of dealing with preventable illnesses. The problem with the African rural areas is that there are few amenities and hospital or health centers are no exception. This means that people are forced to walk long distances sometimes for days before accessing medical services. The mobile clinics, better known as hospitals on wheels, have reduced the burden of walking by bringing the services closer to the people. It is quite unfortunate that in the process of walking to health centers, many people have lost lives or their health conditions got worse for not getting medical attention in good time.
With professional doctors on board and modern medical equipment, the hospitals on wheel are all about delivering basic healthcare services to the local people and transferring serious cases to referral and other major hospitals in nearby towns or cities. There are quite a number of organizations that have deployed mobile clinics in rural Africa and so far, the projects are doing great. Most African countries are putting much effort in building health centers in the rural regions but before everyone can have access to these centers; the hospitals on wheels remain the only hope for the sick.
Some of the mobile clinics are fully equipped with facilities that will enable the easy treatment and education of the local people. There are modern mobile clinics that have satellite communication devices, patient rooms, solar powered equipments, and health care promotional and training materials such as projectors. Some of the services available include pre-natal care, immunization, therapy and care for HIV/AIDS patients, and general treatment of basic treatable diseases.
The advantage of mobile clinics is the fact that they are mobile and thus can move easily to different areas where they are needed. This has worked positively towards ensuring that all the people in the rural regions have access to health services. The hospitals on wheels might not be around all the time but since they have communication facilities, they can be moved to areas where they are needed and thus saving lives.
Compared to the walking distance most people have to face when seeking medical attention, the mobile clinics have really helped a great deal in solving the medical situation in Africa. In a nutshell, more people are treated better and more lives that could have been lost are saved by the Hospitals on wheels making them a great medical idea.
