While working on this idea, Satpuda Foundation had launched a dedicated mobile health service in January 2014. The health service has completed two years and has conducted 617 health camps treating more than 20,000 tribal patients.

The service was launched on January 31, 2014 at Van Bhavan, headquarters of Maharashtra forest department at Nagpur, by SWH Naqvi and SarjanBhagat, both former chief wildlife wardens.

The mobile health unit has served in buffer villages of Pench Tiger Reserves in MP and Maharashtra and Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) in Gondia and Bhandara districts from February 1, 2014 to March 2016.

However, looking at the response, SF has extended this service to Satpuda Tiger Reserve in Hoshangabad district of MP. The team of doctors and assistants served in around 55 villages surrounding four tiger reserves, treated patients and also provided free medicine for which Born Free Foundation had provided financial assistance.

KishorRithe, president of SF, says health unit has proved to be a trust building activity as it actually helps to draw community participation to save tigers.

"Most of the patients joined our conservation programmes after treatment. This has enhanced mutual trust between conservationists and local communities," Rithe said.

"Our mission is to ensure survival of wildlife species, including 400 tigers in the Satpuda landscape which is spread in 15 districts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh," Rithe added.