Villagers near Bangladesh border get mobile health clinic

Shella, Apr 10 (UNI) Nearly 10,000 villagers in the remote areas of Meghalaya near the international border with Bangladesh will now receive medical facilities through a mobile health clinic.

The clinic, an initiative of the Lafarge Umium Mining Private Limited (LUMPL), was launched here today by Y.N. Chan, Managing Director of the company.

''This mobile health clinic will provide immediate healthcare to nearly 10,000 villagers in this border region. The vehicle will go to the villages on daily basis and a doctor will attend to the patients. It will also provide medicines free of cost,'' said Chan, who manages the Dhaka office of the company.

Lafarge Umium Mining Private Limited, a joint venture between France-based Lafarge and Spanish cement producer Cementos Molins, has recently started mining limestone in the Nongtrai and Shella region in the East Khasi Hills district.

The villagers earlier had to cover a distance of four kilometres and cross the Umium river by boat to receive treatment at the government health center.

''The mobile health clinic will ensure better health care for the people of the villages here. We will now be able to receive treatment at our doorsteps,'' said K.B. Roy, headman of Shella village.

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