Lifeline Express
Lifeline Express is also called as Jeevan Rekha Express which is the world’s first hospital train. It is run by the Impact India Foundation. It was started on 16th July 1991 and developed in collaboration with the Indian Railways and Health Ministry. This project was mainly aimed for disabled persons especially in rural India to have access to medical services all over the country.
As of December 2010, over 600,000 poor people in rural India were benefited and the services successfully completed 120 projects. The train offers almost all the medical services using the Indian Railway Network. This is the world’s largest train that comprises about 85,000 kilometers of track. It provides instant diagnosis, medical and advanced surgical treatment for the disabled adults and children.
The Lifeline Express has added with it, two additional coaches. These were inaugurated on 8th December 2016 by the honorable Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhu and honorable Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr.J.P.Nadda. The two coaches were added for cancer and family health.
The Lifeline Express is also known as “the magic train of India” has successfully completed 25 years of service to the poor people of rural India. The train has a partnership with the Indian Railways, has medically served more than 10,00,000 poor in rural India. It succeeded in restoring eyesight, movement, hearing, and correction of cleft lips with dental. It also included in treatment in neurological treatment and more. More of everything it was completely free of cost so as to reduce the disability of the poor people across rural India.
This is the first hospital on rails equipped with all the medical facilities and equipment to serve the needs of patients.
The Lifeline Express provides a number of services that include orthopedic surgeries, ophthalmological procedures, plastic surgical correction, immunizations, counseling, nutritional assessment, and many other services. It also promotes health awareness and provides training to medical and allied health professionals. The train visits different parts of the country especially rural areas and stays at each place for nearly 25 days.
The Lifeline Express is formed with air-conditioned coaches. It has two surgical operation theaters with totally five operating tables. The main operation theater with three operating tables and the other with two. It also has two recovery rooms, one sterilization area, and a medical store for the supply of medicines. The operation theater is equipped with a closed-circuit television camera. This will be used to provide training to local doctors in live surgical procedures. In addition to this, the train consists of ophthalmologic testing room, a dental unit, a laboratory, an X-ray unit. It has an auditorium with a large LCD display unit. The staff compartment consists of 12 berths, a kitchen with a gas stove, an electric oven, water purifier, refrigerator.
The Lifeline Express could run successfully since 1991 until now. Thanks to Impact UK, International charitable sources, Indian corporate houses, and individuals as they all have been a part of the funding.
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