Chennai, Feb 21: A trust-run hospital has been serving people, especially senior citizens, who need to pay just Rs 40 as consultation fee.
Dr Guruswamy Mudaliar Memorial Dispensary at Pillayar Koil Street is run by Velacheri Dhandeeswaram Voluntary Health Services Trust and is into service for the past 23 years.
Impressively, free consultation is done for the elderly on Tuesdays and Fridays. For others, the consultation fee is Rs 60. One of the managing trustees, P Kalyanasundaram takes care of the maintenance and running of the hospital.
Kumararaja, one of the trustees, says an average of 50 persons come to the hospital a day. In the mornings, a long queue is formed to meet the doctor.
”Eleven trustees run the hospital. The Rotary Club of Marina supports through donations and there are many others who extend support. We plan to get more doctors.” he said.
The hospital is open from 9.30 am to noon and from 6.30 pm to 9 pm. A small team of two doctors, one nurse, a nursing assistant and an office assistant take care of the patients.
”The hospital was started in order to help the poor, but now we have people from all walks of life coming in for medical care”, Kumararaja says.
The clinic provides intra-venous fluids (IV) and medicines at a low cost. After years of service, the hospital building was purchased and renovated. The hospital conducts camps for cardiology, gynecology and eye-testing.