Community Medical Camps

Community Medical Camps

Swami Vivekanand Health Mission Society, apart from its charitable hospitals and community health projects, conducts regular medical camps in remote and hilly areas of Uttarakhand through Swami Vivekanand Charitable Hospital (SVCH), Dharmawala, District Dehradun.

Villages for these camps are carefully selected where more than 60% of the population belongs to underprivileged, tribal, and backward communities. SVCH Dharmawala has organized camps in 69 villages, located 9 km to 65 km away. For distant locations, the team often stays overnight and returns the next day.

The camp team includes a doctor, pharmacist, health worker, and camp coordinator. Services include general examination, health check-ups (sugar test, BP, weight measurement), and free medicines. Patients needing specialist care or further diagnosis are referred to the base hospital at Dharmawala. All services are completely free and conducted monthly.

Community Mobilization

In preparation for each camp, Village Pradhans, Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, Ward members, VDC members, and local residents voluntarily arrange logistics and mobilize the community to ensure maximum participation.

Key Statistics

• Total Community Medical Camps conducted: 439
• Villages covered: 69 tribal and remote villages
• Total beneficiaries: 23,009
• Cases referred to base hospital for further diagnosis/treatment: 12,322
• Patients treated with medicines & follow-up at camps: 10,687

All general examinations, check-ups, and medicines were provided free of cost.

Challenges & Commitment

Despite difficulties such as climatic variations, seasonal harvesting, and village ceremonies, the camps have continued every month in all villages. Ensuring referred patients complete treatment is challenging—many lack mobile phones or network coverage. The team overcomes this through physical home visits, neighbor coordination, or village official support, with consistent follow-up via phone calls, motivation, and counseling.

These camps remain highly successful and essential, given the inaccessibility of healthcare and the nature of work in tribal areas. They deliver basic health services directly to those who need them most.