This Indian has been treating patients free-of-cost for over two decades by traveling to Hingalganj, around 90 km from his Kolkata residence, twice a week. Meet Dr. Arunodoy Mondal, who treats 12,000 patients on an average every year and provides them free medicines at a charitable hospital established by him in Hingalganj area in Sundarbans.
Dr. Arunodoy Mondal grew up in the Chandrakhali Panchayat area of Hingalganj, and it’s where he saw how hard it was for people in his community to see a doctor.
His grandfather, a homeopathic doctor, treated patients for free, inspiring him deeply. After finishing medical school at Calcutta National Medical College, Dr. Arunodoy Mondal worked at Dr. B C Roy Memorial Hospital for Children. In 1980, he left to start his own practice.
For the first two years, Dr. Arunodoy Mondal saw patients for free at his family home in Hingalganj. As word spread, more people came for help, and the space became too small. In 2000, he bought a piece of land and set up Sujan—a place born out of his desire to make healthcare accessible.
Sujan is Dr. Arunodoy Mondal’s way of giving back. He runs the two-story center without any help from the government, providing not just medical care but also hope to those who need it.
Since the center first opened its doors, it has welcomed everyone from the Sundarbans region, as long as they fall below the poverty line. The diverse group of patients includes villagers, fishermen, locals from Hasnabad, and Adivasi families near Santiniketan.
While Dr. Arunodoy Mondal personally consults only on weekends, his team of eight medical staff is always available to assist anyone. They help patients with various tests like pathology, sonographies, and CT scans. The clinic also houses a physiotherapy center where individuals with paralysis and disabilities regularly attend therapy and exercise sessions.
In between consultations, Dr. Mondal organizes eye checkup camps, diabetic detection and prevention camps, gynecological checkup camps, cancer detection and prevention camps, blood donation camps, and more.
Dr Arunodoy Mondal’s efforts to bring change in these areas haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2020 he was conferred the Padma Shri for his remarkable contribution.
Dr. Arunodoy Mondal is committed to making sure that the people in Sundarbans never have to deal with the problems caused by a healthcare system that doesn’t take care of them properly.
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