Dr. Sunil Kumar Hebbi of Bengaluru, has his task cut out. He steers a mobile clinic, whose wheels turn at 10 every morning.
Working 12 hours, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. at Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Covid clinic, Hebbi rests for just two hours and is he is ready to take care of patients who are either alone or can’t travel to hospitals, including senior citizens, and people with mild-Coronavirus symptoms.
Idea of mobile clinic
The mobile clinic came into being 11 years ago, that is much before the pandemic. In those days, Hebbi would use the vehicle to reach patients in need of medical assistance only on weekends. The lockdown saw the number of calls asking for medical help reach stratospheric levels. At the time the "good doctor" made a decision. He completely overhauled his work schedule.
The "good doctor" on wheels
Coming from a tiny hamlet, Namadapura in Vijayapura district, Hebbi graduated from the Bijapur Medical College in 2007 and had seen how his family faced severe difficulties due to inaccessibility to medical services.
Also read: Techie Zahoor Kazi’s Mercy Helpline Vijayapura facilitates medical help for Covid patients
Talking to The Print, he remarked: “I have seen how my parents or people from my village had to travel several kilometres before they could get access to medical care. The closest primary health centre was nearly 50 kilometres away, and it was so difficult when it was an emergency.”
The immediate trigger for the mobile clinic was an incident in 2010, when the doctor was travelling on the Hosur-Chennai highway. On seeing an accident victim on the road, he immediately administered first aid and rushed him to the nearest hospital.
“I was touched when the mother of the victim called me a day later and thanked me for saving her only child. I told her that I did my duty just as any other doctor or citizen would have done.”
Daily routine
Hebbi also shared with The Print that in the last 13 years, there have been more than 90,000 patients who have been treated across Bengaluru. “I always carry medicines, a glucometer, oxygen tank, BP monitor, ECG machine among other essential equipment in my car at all times.”
Also read: Jalagaon’s Covid care centre is a great help for Coronavirus patients
Those in need for medical help contact Hebbi over WhatsApp or Facebook. Based on these messages he plans his day, informing the patients of the approximate time he will attend to them. He visits patients based on their condition.
The clinic on wheels
He told India Today that he gets 100 to 150 calls daily. “I tell the patients to share their complete health details on WhatsApp so that I can reply to them what is to be done. Only if needed, I will visit them at their home.”
Though Hebbi avoids using a PPE as he is driving all around the city he takes ample precautions. but takes sufficient precautions.
