Dr. Yogesh Patil, Saraswati Colony, Nandurbar

At 48 Saraswati Colony, the days go by in a pretty predictable way. Dr. Yogesh Patil has his setup here in Nandurbar, and it is a very calm part of town compared to the main market. The colony has a lot of trees, so it stays a bit cooler than the rest of the city. We have a small gate at the front and a narrow path that leads into the clinic area. Inside, the walls are painted a light blue, and there are a few benches for people to sit on. Most of the people we see are from the houses nearby. They might come in for a fever or just to get a refill on their regular medicine. We spend a lot of time writing out notes by hand and talking to the people who walk in. It’s the kind of place where people stop to chat about the weather or the local news while they wait. We don't have a computerized system or anything like that; everything is kept in paper files. The light in the afternoon comes through the front window and hits the floor in a bright square. It is a small, quiet place to work. Sometimes we hear the birds in the trees outside more than we hear any cars. We just go about our business, seeing patients and making sure everything is tidy for the next morning. It is a peaceful way to spend the day.