SHILLONG: The NSS Unit of the Department of Allied Health Sciences, Martin Luther Christian University organized a health camp at Mawlat Mawrasai Village, Mawkynrew Block, East Khasi Hills District on Saturday with as many as 125 people attending the camp.
Mawlat Mawrasai village is located approximately 62 kilometers from Shillong with a total population of 300 and 55 households. The basic health facilities are covered by Mawkynrew PHC which is 26 km approximately from Mawlat Mawrasai village.
The camp started off with the ) registration of children followed by the parents and elders of the village. Nutritional assessment, nutrition and health counselling and physical examination were carried out by the students of MSc Nutrition and Dietetics, MA Nutrition and Health and BSc Community Health Practioner (BSc CHP) respectively.
All medications were dispensed for free. Estimation of blood haemoglobin level as well blood glucose level was performed by the students of BSc Medical Laboratory Technology (BSc MLT).
The objective of conducting the health camp was to create awareness on general health among the people, to provide general health care services, to counsel them on basic healthcare and hygiene and to assess the health and nutritional status of the children, pregnant and lactating mothers. In addition, the health camp also provided hands on experience to the students of the AHS department in rural health care.
The most common diagnoses were anaemia, diabetes mellitus, gastritis, fever, common cold and glossitis. Worm infestations, malnutrition and vitamin deficiency diseases were also common amongst children and women.