In 2024, Smile Foundation’s healthcare initiatives reached new heights, taking crucial medical services to India’s remotest communities and underserved populations. Through programs like Smile on Wheels, we emphasized accessible, affordable, and preventive care to address the healthcare gap in marginalised areas.
Reaching the Unreached
Bridging geographical and financial barriers, Smile Foundation’s mobile healthcare units served villages and towns far removed from primary health infrastructure. For instance, in Tamil Nadu’s Hosur, remote farmers and workers received doorstep treatments for chronic ailments like diabetes and common conditions like pneumonia. The program not only eased their travel burden but also provided free medicines and consultations, creating a healthier foundation for these communities.
In Sahebganj, Jharkhand, similar efforts delivered primary healthcare to daily wage earners, farmers, and their families in 10+ distant villages. With collaboration from MSD Pharmaceuticals, residents benefited from diagnostic services, counseling, and consistent medical check-ups.
Meanwhile, in the vast desert landscapes of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, supported by CDSL, Smile on Wheels ensured that even remote families received promotive, preventive, and curative care.
Stories of Transformation
Health initiatives touched lives in deeply personal ways. Kasturi, a flower vendor from Tamil Nadu, shared how Smile on Wheels became a lifesaver. Living with diabetes and hypertension, she struggled to balance her health and livelihood. Mobile healthcare services near her workplace gave her timely treatment without the financial strain of hospital visits, allowing her to support her family with hope and dignity.
For Prema, a mother of an 18-year-old child with special needs in Bengaluru, the arrival of Smile Foundation’s healthcare van was life-changing. The compassionate care provided by a dedicated medical team alleviated her long-standing worries about her son’s health, proving that healthcare delivered with understanding can heal beyond medicine.
Strategic Partnerships for Impact
Partnerships played a vital role in 2024. Wells Fargo helped extend healthcare services to over 15,000 individuals in Bengaluru’s underserved neighborhoods, offering treatment and fostering awareness about health and hygiene. Similarly, collaborations with Bosch India in Jaipur and Euronet in Thane-Kalwa enhanced the reach and depth of healthcare delivery, including antenatal and postnatal care, referrals, and disease prevention awareness.
With Deutsche Bank’s support, Smile on Wheels provided comprehensive mobile health units in multiple cities, conducting workshops on topics like breastfeeding for women in Bengaluru, and addressing maternal and child health through interactive sessions.
Community-Centric Healthcare
Empowerment through awareness was another significant theme of 2024. From preventive health camps addressing common rural health issues in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, to sessions on brushing techniques for children through the Mobile Dental Clinics supported by Haleon, Smile Foundation fostered health-seeking behavior at the grassroots level. Health camps at Bengaluru’s Government Lower Primary School detected and treated conditions like malnutrition and anemia, creating healthier futures for underserved children.
In Rajasthan’s Alwar district, Relaxo Foundation supported health awareness campaigns that touched the lives of 11 remote villages. By creating opportunities for health literacy alongside treatment, we laid the groundwork for long-term well-being.
Milestones and Recognitions
2024 also marked recognition for Smile Foundation’s consistent efforts. The ASSOCHAM Best CSR Excellence in Healthcare Award celebrated our mobile healthcare units’ unrelenting service in reaching over 50,000 lives in the remotest geographies, affirming our commitment to India’s healthcare goals under the National Health Mission. Similarly, local accolades from the Bassi Block Health Department highlighted the impactful work in Jaipur’s underserved communities.
Looking Ahead
Smile Foundation’s healthcare story in 2024 showcased the power of perseverance, partnerships, and community engagement. As we step into another year, the journey to bring accessible, quality healthcare closer to every individual continues with renewed vigour. With mobile units reaching farther, health awareness touching more lives, and partnerships strengthening our efforts, the future promises healthier smiles for thousands more across India.
Healthcare is about treatment and also about dignity, empowerment, and opportunities for all to lead fulfilling lives. At Smile Foundation, we will keep moving forward, ensuring that no one is left behind.
