By TCN News
Kozhikode: The seventh annual India Health Initiative, a social outreach programme by the India Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) to provide free medical services to economically disadvantaged members of society in India, started in Kozhikode district of Kerala.
In the first two camps,held at Omassery and Chennamangalore, around 1,000 people with various ailments were provided free specialty treatment.
The US based IMRC team consists of ten doctors from various hospital with background in internal medicine, family medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics, surgery, geriatrics and emergency medicine.
“This year we conducted first free medical camp in Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh) from February 20-23, 2016 where we treated 1,500 patients and also provided free pathological tests, X-ray and medicines. Later, we conducted medical camp in slums of Hyderabad from February 26-29 where we treated 2,300 patients,” said Manzoor Ghori, Executive Director of Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) while attending a press conference at Mukkam press forum hall on Thursday.
“What makes India’s Constitution outstanding is its unique features, which assure due rights to all. But the people here are sometimes denied their privileges owing to various factors. IMRC is looking to address the needs of the people belonging to the rural hamlets of the country by initiating various programmes, meant to empower them in terms of education and social life,” the IMRC founder said.
“Working in rural India requires 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. This initiative has shown that many illnesses afflicting the poor are preventable, and that these medical conditions are worsened mostly because of poverty, ignorance, and lack of hygiene,” said Dr John Rosenberg.
Dr M A Gafoor of IMRC said that the people of rural India were in dire need of awareness in taking treatment.
He hailed the social standard of Kerala saying people in the state were showing better standard in educational and social activities unlike the other parts of the country.
To work in the rural areas lends much pleasure for the team, said Dr Sana Ahmed. The team also consists of Dr Farida Ghogawala, Dr M Y Ahmed, Dr Irfan Moin, Dr Moustafa Elkheir, DrM K Ahmed, DrSohail Ahmed and Dr Sabiha Gafoor.