Over 1000 patients from rural hamlets of North Tripura district were treated at the Lifeline Express, popularly known as the Hospital Train, in the last two days at Churaibari railway station, officials said December 19.

"We received 400 patients on the first day and today 600 patients had registered their names. We provide diagnostic, medical and advanced surgical treatment to persons with disabilities," Life Line Express Joint Director Anil Premsagar said. Among those who received treatment on the 'hospital train' so far, 77 cataract patients would undergo surgery from tomorrow.

The train would remained stationed at Churaibari, 185 km from here, till January 6, officials said. "We offer eye and surgeries, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery and treatment of oral, breast and cervical cancer on Lifeline Express," Premsagar said. The effort is to reach to those people who hail from remote areas that lack medical facilities, he said.

When contacted, Chief Medical Officer of North Tripura district, Jagadish Chandra Nama, said, the health department provided 11 personnel for assisting those providing medical services in the Lifeline Express. Churaibari Assistant Station Superintendent Prasanta Bhattacharjee said, the train arrived in Tripura on December 16, started offering treatment since Tuesday and would continue till January 6 next year.

The Lifeline Express is a healthcare service on train set up by the Impact India Foundation, an NGO, the Indian Railways and the Ministry of Health in 1991. Premsagar said over 10 lakh people across 184 districts in 20 states of the country were treated since 1991 in the hospital train so far.