By Sunday sunrise, 3, August, 2025, the narrow lanes of Loni, Ghaziabad, were already stirring with unusual energy. On the grounds of a local community center, Miles2Smile bustled to set up tables, hang banners, and prepare for what would become a lifeline for over 150 residents.
The registration desk opened at 8:00 AM sharp, and soon a crowd began to form, children clutching their mother’s dupattas, old men leaning on sticks, and women with anxious eyes hoping for relief from lingering ailments.
Inside the camp. Dr. Asif listened patiently to a young girl’s complaints of persistent skin rashes. Dr. Subhan Parvej checked the vitals of elderly men who had never once sat across from a qualified physician. And watching over it all was Mohd. Danish, Project Director of Health at Miles2Smile.
“The idea is to offer more than a check-up,” he said while observing a mother learning how to measure her child’s temperature. “It’s about building confidence in people that their health matters, no matter their income or background.” he said.
The camp catered to a range of needs, basic health check-ups, blood pressure and sugar level tests, pediatric assessments, and a special Mother and Child Health Corner.
For many who walked in that day, this was their first meeting with a qualified doctor in years. Loni’s healthcare system is under-equipped and out of reach for most, and private clinics charge more than many families can afford.
Aamir, 58, sat quietly with his prescription in hand. He had come complaining of fatigue and walked away diagnosed with nutrient deficiency, and hope. “I didn’t know anything like this even existed,” he said. “I’m glad I’m being treated for free,” he added.
Elsewhere, children were treated for anemia, fevers, and infections, ailments too often neglected in homes where food is rationed and medication is a luxury. The doctors explained everything in local dialects, breaking the formality that usually builds walls between patients and their issues.
In one day, over 150 people received more than medical attention. They received reassurance. They felt seen. And in a corner of Loni that rarely finds itself on the map, a small community breathed a little easier, knowing that someone showed up for them.
