By TCN News,
Barabanki (UP): The first medical camp of 7th annual India Health Initiative, a program created by US-based India Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) to provide medical services to economically disadvantaged members of society in India started today in Jahangirabad Institute of Technology (JIT), Barabanki road, Lucknow.
IMRC is organizing annual India Health Initiative for poor and needy this year for the seventh consecutive year.
The India Health Initiative was started by IMRC in 2010.Since its inception, IMRC has successfully conducted six India Health Initiatives comprising of medical camps across different rural areas, poor localities and slums in India. This annual program is unique because it provides basic education in health care with an emphasis on preventive health care to the community; and provides technical training to the local doctors and medical students. Last year, approximately 10,000 patients were seen in medical camps in Hyderabad, Bijapur, and Bangarpet.
Every year, IMRC assemble team of doctors from the United States to volunteer for the health camps to provide medical care to economically poor patients, who otherwise would not be able to afford the high cost of treatment. This year 10 US based NRI doctors with different specialties will provide free medical services. They have backgrounds in internal medicine, family medicine, gynecology, paediatrics, surgery, geriatrics and emergency medicine.
On Saturday, Day 1st of three day medical camp in Barabanki (UP), 550 patients were examined, who were provided with free medicines and free medical tests.
Shahbuddin, 65 is suffering from blurry vision since last 4 years. He travelled 35 Km from village Banshasareef, Barabanki (UP) to get examined at the free medical camp organized by IMRC.
He said, “I went to various eye specialists but they did not do the kind of check-up doctors are doing here for free of cost. At other hospitals they charge a lot of fees but do not treat us properly. Here everything, they are dong for free. For medicines and necessary tests, I have to pay nothing.”
Another patient, Mohammad Noorian, 22 travelled around 400 Kms from Village Ratsar to get examined at the free medical camp. “I recovered from jaundice some months ago but after recovery, I am feeling entirely weak. I used to play football for two hours every day but now I can’t walk for 2 minutes, that’s why, I came here to get checked by the US doctor, Dr. Moustafa Elkher. He asked me to go through some liver test. Now I am heading to the free test section,” said Noorian.
“Today, we examined 550 patients on the inaugural day of 7th annual India Health Initiative. The day was like warm up for us. We got patients with aches, gastro related problems, rashes and others. Let’s see what comes up tomorrow,” said Dr John Rosenberg, who has been volunteering for the health camps since IHI inception.
Manzoor Ghori, Executive Director of Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) said, “Working in rural India require a lot of energy, but at the end of the day, you feel a sense of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment, that we are making some difference to the people here. In next three weeks we will be conducting medical camps in Hyderabad and Kerala also.”
In Hyderabad, medical camps will be conducted at the Bright Future School (Hassan Nagar), IndoUS School (Kishan Bagh), Shaheen Nagar Markaz and IndoUS School (Baba Nagar) from February 26 to February 29.
In Kerala, medical camps will be organised in Mukkam, Omassary, Koliwada and the Engapuza villages of Kozhikode District from March 3 to March 6.