Shankar Ramchandani an assistant professor in the department of medicine at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, has opened a "one rupee" clinic to provide treatment to the poor and underprivileged people.
Keeping up with the medical ethics of serving humanity, Ramchandani said that the one Rupee fee clinic is part of his long-standing desire to provide free treatment to the poor and underprivileged beyond duty hour.
Located 330 km north-west of Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur does not have adequate medical infrastructure apart from the government-run Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and 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 medico to render treatment on a paltry fee of Rs one is a boon for the masses.
More about One Rupee Clinic
The clinic, which has been set up at the Kachha Market area in Burla town remain open from 7 AM to 8 AM in the morning and 6 PM to 7 PM in the evening. The "One-Rupee" clinic has provided him with an opportunity to serve the poor, destitute, unprivileged, elderly persons, physically challenged people and the people who do not have access to proper medical care.
Ramchandani's wife Sikha Ramchandani, a dental surgeon, is helping him in the pioneering work. The clinic was inaugurated on Friday and 33 patients came to the clinic on the first day, the doctor said.
Asked why he charges one Rupee, Mr Ramchandani said "I charge one Rupee from the poor and underprivileged people as I don't want them to feel that they are availing the service free of cost. They should also think that they have paid some money for their treatment."
He also drew the attention of all and received widespread appreciation when he attended a COVID-19 patient beyond his duty hour and also carried the patient to VIMSAR in his car amid the scourge of novel coronavirus in October last year.
