Ashwinikumar Medical Relief Society "TB Project" had its origin from two doctors' private clinics in 1980 one in Kandivali and the other in Borivali-two adjoining western suburbs of Bombay. TB patients were given free medical consultation; investigations were carried out at private set ups at nominal charges arid medicines were given to the patients free by A.M.R.S.

The project was given the name 'Defeat Tuberculosis Project', to commemorate Dr. Robert Kochs' centenary. Third center was started.

Doctors of different areas from Goregaon to Dahisar (five suburbs) gradually came to know about the project and offered their voluntary services and clinics for this project under the banner of AMRS. Many specialists also volunteered their services to these Family Physicians when they needed specialists' opinion.

4th Feb., 1990 : Till this date A.M.R.S. had no place of its own. The project was run on Panel doctors' help from their clinics, by social workers, private donors and trusts. Bombay Municipal Corporation recognised our services since 1982 and helped us by providing a very small percentage of medicines every year (around 2%) of our total consumption upto 1999 under the National Tuberculosis Control Programme.

July 1992 - total treatment to all the TB patients was free. Then nominal charges were introduced because :
o Cost of medicines tripled
o No. Of patients increased
o Administrative cost also increased
o While inflow of donation remained static.

June, 1993 - Smt Maniben Chandulal Mehta TB Control & Research Centre & Polyclinic, folly equipped centre, in Kandivali (East) started functioning. Now A.M.R.S. had two major equipped centres, four major private clinics open to all TB patients and 31 peripheral centres. They all work under the banner of A.M.R.S.

Having understood the problem of contact children of TB patients AMRS initiated a camp for detection of TB in children living with TB patients. Detected cases were provided treatment These camps continue till date. They are held thrice in a year i. e. 1st Sunday of January, 2nd Sunday of June and 3rd Sunday of October.

INCIDENCE CF TUBERCULOSIS AMONG CONTACT CHILDREN OF TB PATIENTS DETAIL REPORT OF SERVICES OF 19 CAMPS

As a result of heavy defaulter rate in primary NCOS, Govt. agencies and Bombay Municipal Corporation, no. of MDR cases are increasing year by year. As heavy cost is involved in their treatment such MDR patients are left to their destiny. No organisation helps them in any way. A.M.R.S. provides them their regular medicines at 30% to 40% concession over market price under supervised treatment.

A booklet of "TB and A.M.R.S." was published for public education & distributed free of charge.

A.M.R.S. picked up the offer of BMC for treating the TB patients under DOTS under Revised National Tuberculosis Control programme. Our all panel doctors underwent two days training and qualified themselves for treating the patients under DOTS. We are really happy with the results and involve ourselves more subject to readiness of the patients.

On 24th March, 2000 World TB Day was celebrated on a big way. A fall day public rally was organized through out the area of our work. Awareness about TB, its complications and its implications on patients, his family, women, & youth and there by on national economy were highlighted.

The only criterion of registering the patients for treatment is "He should be an active TB patient No bar on caste, creed or religion or any area restrictions. Mouth to Mouth publicity, free or low cost and good treatment attracted patients from far off places and also from out side Bombay.