LifeLine Express, India's first hospital train

The Indian Railways, in partnership with Impact India Foundation, had launched the Lifeline Express - the worlds first hospital on wheels - on July 16, 1991 from CSMT to provide free of cost medical care to the poor living in remote corners of the country.

Mumbai: The Lifeline Express, also known as "Hospital on Wheels", will now move to Sahibganj in Jharkhand from here for its next project.

The train was on Thursday inaugurated at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus by the Central Railway (CR) for its latest project, which involves providing medical treatment to poor patients.

The Indian Railways, in partnership with Impact India Foundation, had launched the Lifeline Express - the worlds first hospital on wheels - on July 16, 1991 from CSMT to provide free of cost medical care to the poor living in remote corners of the country.

The seven coaches of the Lifeline Express have advanced operation theatres, a pathology lab, a mammography unit, a gynaecology examination room, a dental unit, a pharmacy, consultation cubicles and X-Ray unit, among others.

Till now, nearly 2,00,000 medical professionals from around the world have rendered their services to the train.

The Lifeline Express has travelled across 19 states, covering 201 rural locations in 138 districts providing medical treatment to 12.32 lakh patients, including 1.46 lakh cases of surgery, a CR statement said.

Its on-board services include restored mobility, correction of facial deformities, treatment for epilepsy, dental problems and cancer, among others - all of which are provided free of cost, it said.

In Maharashtra, the train has conducted projects at Ratnagiri, Ballarshah and Latur in the past two years, the statement added.