Neurology on Wheels: We Reach, We Teach, and We Treat

By Connor McGinnis

Medical student Connor McGinnis (left) and Dr. Bindu Menon.

Traveling from the United States to the coast of India and through its remote villages was never part of my medical curriculum, yet when the opportunity to learn from Dr. Bindu Menon, neurologist and founder of Neurology on Wheels, presented itself, I knew I could not pass it up. After obtaining a grant, months of planning, and more than 24 hours of travel, I was warmly welcomed to India with a decorative shawl.

Over the course of one of the most enlightening weeks of my life, I witnessed Indian health care with its emphasis on preventive neurology, timely bedside diagnoses, and an inspiring sense of gratitude. This powerful triad left every patient in a better place — the ultimate goal within medicine.

The emphasis on preventative care and symptom recognition is essential to the community outreach programs provided by the Dr. Bindu Menon Foundation. Through the Neurology on Wheels initiative, I observed firsthand the challenges of stroke prevention in rural Andhra Pradesh, India, as well as the innovative strategies employed to overcome them.

Dr. Bindu Menon (left) and Connor McGinnis (center) address attendees at a Neurology on Wheels outreach event.

Under-resourced areas of India are a critical aspect of the country’s health care system. In 2024, roughly 63% of the population lived in rural areas.¹ This statistic highlights the distance millions of patients must travel to receive health care at the nearest hospital, not to mention additional barriers such as socioeconomic restraints and transportation. Targeting villages is the cornerstone of the foundation’s approach, as reflected in its motto “We Reach, We Teach, and We Treat.”

Educational sessions such as preventative health, stroke symptom recognition, and seizure first aid will empower patients and help reduce the health care disparities. I witnessed community members actively participating in “Sa Re Ga Ma” music notation. Musical mnemonics such as this are used to help patients remember the stroke warning signs. This is comparable to the musical scale of “Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do.” Creating a memorable outline for the symptoms of stroke can expedite travel to the nearest hospital and help avoid irreversible damage.

Community members asked questions and engaged with pictorial teaching tools. Blood pressure, HbA1c levels and BMI were documented, and individual counseling and medication were administered. The focus on primary care and preventive measures was especially noteworthy.

In addition to its Neurology on Wheels outreach, the foundation offers free mobile apps for epilepsy, stroke, and migraine patients. These apps provide education, medication reminders, follow-up support, and direct communication, turning occasional hospital visits into ongoing care. By blending personal outreach with digital tools, the foundation delivers continuous neurological support and bridges gaps in rural health care.

Connor McGinnis (second from left) and Dr. Bindu Menon visit with patients at a Neurology on Wheels mobile clinic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports there are few interventions addressing sodium consumption in India. It aims to reduce sodium consumption by 30% by the end of 2025.²  Traditional Southern Indian meals can contain about 15 grams of sodium daily, and the foundation is working to reduce the sodium intake and ultimately reduce the incidence of stroke, which is 80% preventable.³ Interactive tools such as sodium consumption displayed on a spoon are used to demonstrate the daily recommended sodium value of 5 grams.

Patients in rural India face significant barriers to health care. As a result of these challenges, they are accepted into the foundation for fully funded benefits going forward. This mobile outreach model offers a sustainable approach to bridge gaps in neurological care with the potential for replication in similar rural settings worldwide.

With a population of roughly 1.5 billion, India faces the challenge of providing medical care to an immense number of patients.⁴ The patient volume was the most eye-opening. We saw roughly 100 patients per day during my week in Andhra Pradesh. To balance strong clinical care with such great volume, there were multiple key differences within Apollo Hospital. For example, the way patients were seen in the outpatient clinic and on rounds was considerably different than in the U.S. Documentation and medical record processing was done via EMR, and the attention to detail and elaborate physical exams were evident. In outpatient neurological care in the U.S., I have never seen such a focus on primary care. Blood pressure, blood glucose, and thyroid function were consistently measured and discussed.

This global health experience went far beyond traditional medical education. It provided me with a deeper understanding of culturally tailored neurological care and the humanistic side of medicine. Through the departments of neurology, neurosurgery, anesthesia, neurophysiology, and radiology, this opportunity expanded my understanding of the evolution of neurological care at a comprehensive level while providing community-based health care and deepening my skills as a student physician. Experiences in such diverse clinical and cultural environments will help shape a connected future in global neurology. •

Connor McGinnis is a medical student at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan.