Bhopal: The smile van is reaching villages for treatment of malnourished and underweight children in Hoshangabad district. The van which has been prepared by the MLA fund of Vidhan sabha Speaker Sitasaran Sharma is fully-equipped and air-conditioned. Introduced on November 14 last, the van service has so far examined more than 1200 children in villages of Kesla, Itarsi and Babai development blocks. The doctors available in the van are visiting the villages and treating children on the spot.
Smile van is at present on tour of Babai development block. Later it will reach rural areas in Sohagpur, Pipariya and Bankhedi. The children will be examined in the van and free medicines will be distributed to them. Parents of the malnourished and underweight children are being counseled. If need arises, the children are being referred to the nearest Poshan Punarvas Kendras. This is bringing a positive result in the health of children.
Now the villagers are waiting for the smile van to reach their village. They welcome the smile van in their traditional way. Villagers get very enthusiastic when the smile van reached their village. The van has a display of pictures of attractive childlike activities, an audio system and LED TV through which people will be made aware against malnutrition.
The smile van has a weighing machine, salter scale, MUAC tape and a sufficient supply of medicines. The van is being appreciated in other districts also. Dr AK Rawat from Kalawati Sharan Hospital, New Delhi who reached Kesla block recently also lauded the services of the van.