The GSBS MEDICAL TRUST (G.S.B. Sabha’s Medical Trust) is an organisation that provides quality and affordable healthcare through its four medical centres – two in Dadar, one in Dharavi and one in Mahim.
What started as a health awareness centre in 1967 has rapidly grown manifold. The four centres are now visited by over 200 consultants with post-graduate and post-doctoral speciality qualifications in various branches of medicine. Besides consultation, the centres offer diagnostic investigations, medical treatment, dental services, dermatological consultation, nutritional consultation, physiotherapy & rehabilitation as well as de-addiction programmes.
On an average day, over 300 patients visit the centres for various consultations with doctors and/or undergo various medical tests.
Programs & Initiatives
Medical Camps
The Trust arranges for free and subsidised medical camps from time to time. Free medical check-ups are held at Wadala Ram Mandir during Ganeshotsav and also on 26th January. Cancer Screening Camps for Men & Women are held at highly subsidised rates at the Trust's Health Rakshak centre at Dadar on a monthly basis.
De-Addiction Programmes
The Trust has an exclusive Tobacco Cessation clinic called as Angarakshak which has specialised counsellors for people facing addiction problems. This unit also organises awareness seminars in schools and colleges, as well as conducts programmes to celebrate recoveries of patients.
Healthy Baby Contest
A popular activity conducted annually during Ganeshotsav is the “Health Baby Contest”. This is to promote and encourage good health in infants / babies. Maintaining good health in infancy and also adolescence has a significant contribution towards human beings evolving into strong & healthy adults.
Awareness Programmes
Many health awareness programmes are conducted at the Trust on a regular basis such as for Spine Care, Foot Care, Respiratory Disorders etc.
History
The Beginning
The G.S.B. Sabha conceived the idea of providing medical assistance to the poor, way back in 1954-55.
The late Dr. S. S. Rau, M.D., offered his honorary services for consultation and advice in the Sabha’s office thrice a week between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
This continued for about 3 years.
Revival of Medical Services
The medical service was revived with great vigour in 1967 under the then President, Shri A. M. Kamath by a team of dedicated and eminent physicians led by Dr. V. R. Prabhu and Dr. B. M. Acharya who volunteered their time and energies for this noble cause. The services that were started in a small way at the Sabha’s premises, were confined to the preventive aspects such as providing inoculations against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, small pox, measles etc.
The Shift to Dwarkanath Bhavan
A year later, HH Swamiji of Gokarna Parthagali Jeevotam Math offered two rooms at Dwarakanath Bhavan, Wadala for this purpose and the medical service was shifted therein and renamed as Dwarakanath Preventive Medical Services.
The services were open to all persons, irrespective of caste and creed. This Centre, however, worked only on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 12 noon.
The start of regular weekday services
The idea of organising a Diagnostic Centre on week days was mooted and found ready response from all concerned. This extension of medical service was started on 26th January, 1970, with the services of 15 specialists.
Independent Registration of the Trust
An independent Registered Trust by name ‘GSBS Medical Trust’ was established by the GSB Sabha on 24th June, 1972, for conducting the medical service activity. The Trust enjoys Income tax exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act.
An exclusive address for the Trust
Over the years, the services of the GSBS Medical Trust became very popular, due to which the existing space became inadequate.
Space was acquired in Shilpa Apartments, Dasturwadi, Naigaum and medical services were shifted there.
The Mayor of Bombay inaugurated the centre on 27th January, 1980 and services were commenced therein from February 1980. Initially, two adjacent flats of about 1500 sq ft were acquired and additional space was acquired later on.
This Medical Centre has fully equipped Pathology, Digitalised X-ray, including an Image Intensifier TV(IITV), Dental and Physiotherapy Departments.
Opening of a Superspecialty Centre
The Trust took a quantum leap in its service offerings with the opening of the Superspeciality Centre at Rajgir Court, Dadar, on 6th January, 2002 at the hands of Shri Suresh Prabhu, the then Honourable Union Minister for Power.
This Superspeciality Centre (now named as Health Rakshak) has facilities for Ultrasonography including Colour Doppler for Cardiac and Peripheral Vascular Doppler Tests, Stress Test, 2-D Echocardiogram, Endoscopy, Mammography, Electroencephalography, ECG, Orthopantomography, Cephalography and Pulmonary Function Test. The Consultation Faculty includes General Medicine, Cardiology, General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nephrology and Urosurgery, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Psychiatry ,Gynaecology, and Onco-Surgery.
A New Centre at Dharavi
The Trust took a quantum leap in its service offerings with the opening of the Superspeciality Centre at Rajgir Court, Dadar, on 6th January, 2002 at the hands of Shri Suresh Prabhu, the then Honourable Union Minister for Power.
This Superspeciality Centre (now named as Health Rakshak) has facilities for Ultrasonography including Colour Doppler for Cardiac and Peripheral Vascular Doppler Tests, Stress Test, 2-D Echocardiogram, Endoscopy, Mammography, Electroencephalography, ECG, Orthopantomography, Cephalography and Pulmonary Function Test. The Consultation Faculty includes General Medicine, Cardiology, General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nephrology and Urosurgery, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Psychiatry ,Gynaecology, and Onco-Surgery.
Another New Centre at Mahim
On 28th August, 2016, the Trusts’ Mahim Centre was inaugurated, in Association with the J.N.Wadia Charitable dispensary, by Mrs. Meera Acharya, wife of Founder Trustee , late Dr.B.M.Acharya. Smt.& Sri Jagannath Prabhu have donated a Dental Chair in the memory of his late father, Dr.V.R.Prabhu, who was also a founder Trustee. Smt.Sunita Rao has donated an Opthalmic machine in memory of her husband, Shri Dayanand Vittal Rao.