CM closes the health mela

Monday 12th October New Delhi :  Smt. Shiela Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi has expressed concern over the increasing incidence of health disorders and urged upon the medical community to devise innovative and cost effective strategy to containing the spread of such ailments with a view to having the disease free society. She called upon the medical professionals to check increasing commercialization of medical services and make it available within the reach of the common people.

She stressed on the need to impart health education and launch a more intensive awareness campaign at the grass-root level. Commending the efforts of HCFI to put up the Mela, Madam Dikshit emphasized on the need for a regular medical checkup and asked the people to be conscious about their health status before any disease nabs them.

The CM also pointed out that prevention and control of many diseases like malaria, dengue, jaundice and diarrhea required the attention of medical community, social workers and voluntary organizations.  She stressed on low fat vegetarian food, regular exercise, reducing body weight and cessation of smoking. Importance of good food and nutrition was stressed. “You are what you eat, your food decides your attitude and your physical & mental temperament” were the messages released.

Guest of honour Mr Girish Singhi MP pointed out that therapeutic and curative approach to most health problems does not offer a lasting solution. Apart from being costly the drugs may have side effects. The approach lies in primary prevention with an awareness campaign like the one in Perfect Health Mela.

Mr. J P Sigh Principal Secretary Health Govt. of Delhi said that the concept of health, unless it has financial backup is not achievable. He emphasized on the need for financial planning for all groups. It is not only for young and adolescent but also for senior citizens whose financial requirements remain vital importance.
Shri Parimal Rai, Chairman NDMC urged the public that in view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, every effort should be made to make Commonwealth City green and clean.

The Mela President, Dr. K K Aggarwal, pointed out that most health problems were self-inflicted creating imbalance inside and outside the human body, and could be tackled by a suitable health strategy of exercise and lifestyle changes.

The current Mela proved extremely popular with over three lakh people who came to visit the Mela.  200 schools, 32 colleges and 23 nursing schools participated in the 10-day long event.

The Valedictory Function of the Mela was attended by Member of Parliament Dr. T. Meinya, Shri Manjit  Singh, ED, MTNL, Shri K K Kumar, CMD, Shakti Bhog Group, Shri S. Bhatnagar, GM MTNL, Dr. A.K. Gupta, Addl. PD DASAC, Shri R.R. Singh, Exhibition Officer DAVP, Shri R. Mehta, Advisor Deptt. Of Environment &  Forest, Shri Anuj Sinha from DST, Shri P.K. Sharma, MOH NDMC,  Shri S.S. Aggarwal, Director DIPSAR, Dr. A.K. Aggarwal, Dean MAMC, Shri Rajinder Gupta, former Transport Minister, Delhi Government.

Sarva Dharma Seminar at the mela

Regular meditation and yoga coupled with a change in lifestyle and dietary habits can go a long way in preventing various diseases and keeping the body in good health. In a seminar “Sadhna” organized at the ongoing Perfect Health Mela by World Fellowship of Religions, Acharya Dr. Sadhvi Sadhna Ji Maharaj, said that spiritual health constitutes an important aspect of remaining free of diseases. To acquire spiritual health, one should do regular meditation. If a person can be in touch with his consciousness, he or she can increase his own inner healing power.

It is important how long you live but equally important is how well you live, was the message of the dharm gurus.

The seminar was attended by Dr. Acharya Sadhvi Sadhna Ji Maharaj, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Sarwan Saraswati, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Raghva Nand Ji, Father Dominic, Arc. Bishop Vincent M Fransisco, Pir Khwaja Afzal N.S. Narhi, Mahant Kailash Nath, Dr. A.K. Merchant, Ezekiel Isaac Malekar.

Meditation in group is far more effective than doing as individual. Wherever possible people should meditate either in a family group or school gathering. Even prayer is nothing but a meditation. Group prayers are much more powerful than individual prayers. People should pray together and stay together.

Answering a query, if yoga is good than why yogic gurus die or develop diseases, Dr. Aggarwal clarified that yoga gurus do develop diseases but suffer less from it. For example, if a person who performs yoga regularly gets heart attack, chances of sudden death are less and chances of living better after heart attack will be high.

Eight limbs of yoga as defined in Yog Sutras is a science by itself. One should observe yoga, pranayam and learn to detract from outside and attachments of life. To acquire spiritual health, one must live in yogic meditation.

Important quotes at the mela

Sh Rakesh Mehta Chief Secretary DG, Pointed out that “most health problems were self-inflicted and could be settled by suitable health strategy”.

1. Sh J P Singh Principal Secretary Health DG emphasized on having regular practice of yoga, pranayam and follow a correct lifestyle.
2. Prof. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India said that preventive health strategy has emerged as an important means of maintaining health and it should be made a part of study and training for the budding medical students at the college level.
3. Shri R.S.P. Sinha, CMD, MTNL pointed out that most diseases have their roots in stress and strains. These can be corrected at home with a constant practice of ancient wisdom enunciated by our sages thousands of years back. He expressed in favour of incorporating various pathies with modern medicine.
4. Shri Parimal Rai, CMD, NDMC exhorted the people to take care of safai in and around their houses. They should also see to it that malaria and dengue mosquitoes don’t spread in and around their houses.
5. Nalini Kamalini Kathak dancers pointed out the importance of regular exercise including wagging for the much needed physical, mental, psychological and spiritual health. 
6. Dr K K Aggarwal President of the mela appealed to the doctors and medical fraternity to give 10% of their time to community service.

Every Indian Kitchen is a Pharmacy: At another discussion Dr. Aggarwal stated that every Indian kitchen is a pharmacy.  Rather than running to a doctor with a minor ailment look for the remedy in your own kitchen whether it is the fibrous material like the ajwain, isabgol, bran, oat, soya, methi, amla, garlic, onion and ginger.  These are all preventive and curative for a number of diseases.  Turmeric, tamarind or saunf which have the capacity to cure many physical disorders are also stored in every kitchen and are useful for health.  These concepts were well projected at the Perfect Health Mela.

Those who attended the Valedictory Ceremony included Dr P K Sharma MHO NDMC, Dr N K Yadav MOH MCD, Sh. Rajendra Gupta, Former Transport Minister, Sh. Anuj Sinha, Advisor, NCSTC.

Mela attractions

A craft bazaar put up at the Mela proved highly successful with participation of 30 stalls. The craft bazaar apart from shopping provided an opportunity to learn something about health and provided an exposure to healthy lifestyle to the craftsmen who came from different parts of the country.

Free hemoglobin tests taken at the Mela by LIONS District 321 A1 revealed that large number of people were anaemic. Free blood grouping of the people was also taken.

It was noteworthy that free OPD consultations pertaining to Allopathy, Homeopathy, Unani, Ayurveda and Naturopathy were also provided.

A very informative quiz also became a subject of attraction for the public. They were informed that people should try to give up consumption of alcohol and those who cannot do it should not consume more than 30 ml of alcohol in an hour.

Certain formulae to reduce weight were also given at the Mela. Any vegetable which is green in colour, like karela, neem, bhel, is helpful in reducing the weight and any eatable which can be broken into two equal parts like pulses and rajma if taken after boiling will be helpful in reducing gas.

Dr. Aggarwal also notified that Hepatitis B vaccine should be taken at 0, 1 & 6 months. And it would be a criminal neglect if typhoid vaccine is not taken every three years. The display on various uses of magnetic therapy was also popular. The magnetic system is widely used for the treatment of paralysis, acidity, arthritis and certain other health disorders.