Americares Mobile Medical Van in E. Andheri

The group set out for our first visit with the Americares Mobile Medical van early Tuesday morning. The organization works to provide health care to the slums in India and we had the opportunity to stop in at the Americares offices to meet with one of the physicians that runs the program. He provided us with an idea of the goals set out by the organization as well the living conditions within the slums. Even with a brief orientation of where we would be traveling to with the van later that day, it didn’t prepare me for the experience. I’m not sure any explanation would suffice.

I stepped off the bus in the E. Andheri slums and the smell consumed all of my senses immediately. As I walked towards the alley where the medical van had set up shop, I was immediately dodging massive piles of cow manure while out of the corner of my eye, children are rummaging through heaps of garbage. You can’t help but feel a little sick while experiencing the horrible living conditions these people face every day, which I’m sure the hour long bus ride through Mumbai traffic without AC didn’t help the cause either. We talked later on the bus about wanting to feel stronger about the situation and not quietly gagging while the smell just overcame our senses… but you really couldn’t help it.

After spending less than 10 minutes in E. Andheri, you can spot multiple fundamental health needs that consume this population. Dr. Parrish pointed out the massive water issue as we walked by fly invested jugs being filled by a water truck that comes to the slum three times a week. The need for water sanitation is apparent. We were in the middle of a down pour of monsoon rains at one point and the rain water barrels I see in backyards throughout the US came to mind to use for some kind of water collection and sanitation process.

On this specific day, the medical van was focused on women and children. It was explained later this was to provide sex workers the opportunity to seek medical care without signaling them out. The intake process was performed in the open and unfortunately didn’t provide the privacy of a standard doctor’s office… so any stigmatized health issues were probably not discussed. The doctor sat inside the van and saw patients for an average of 3 to 4 minutes at a time. They left the van with various medical supplies and the next person stepped up. As they waited in line you could sense the anxious anticipation to see the doctor.

It was clear after thirty minutes our group was causing more raucous than good. Our presence was adding fire to the flame to the already swarming crowds around the van so we piled back on to the bus. The Americares Mobile Medical van does phenomenal work and it takes truly devoted people to maintain the mission. Those living in the slums welcomed the assistance and unfortunately only the emergent care is able to be address as of now. The need to not only triage the situation but create some fundamental development such as permanent access to clean water is necessary. Now we're off to Aastha Parivaar... more to come!