Philanthropic bodies organize medical camp
SHILLONG: Expressing concern over the wastage of medicines worth Rs 4 crore, legislator from Nongthymmai, Jemino Mawthoh said if the medicines were given to philanthropic organizations, they would have distributed them to the needy.
“More than Rs 4 crore worth medicines which were allocated under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) got damaged in Meghalaya, and if those were given to philanthropic organizations like Bharat Sevashram Sangha (BSS) and Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Centre (SNGCC) they would have reached the hands of the needy people of the State,” Mawthoh said, while inaugurating a free medical camp organized by SNGCC in association with BSS’s Medical Unit on Sunday at Turha Compound, Lower Nongrim Hills.
The legislator informed the gathering at the premises of Lord Shiva Temple of the compound that BSS and SNGCC are doing humanitarian services and such medical camps will spread awareness to the people about the need for ‘hygiene’ and ‘health’ in human lives.
“It is said that health is wealth and without taking care of health if people keep accumulating money, then later that money cannot recover (lost health,” he cautioned while expressing his concern over Meghalaya’s dismal health scenario which compelled the High Court to intervene recently.
He also said that Meghalaya’s ambitious Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) are not benefitting the majority, since many are not aware of the features of the project. The legislator said he has been trying his best to create awareness to the people on MHIS that they can avail its benefits while patting the efforts of SNGCC in the field of humanitarian activities.
The president of SNGCC, MK Mohanan while sharing the legislator’s version on “health is wealth” observed that this medical camp was organized is to create awareness, especially among the younger generation since the present society is afflicted with the twin problems of drinking liquor and consumption of cigarettes.
“Both these affect genetically and thereby the future generation,” he said while quoting the visionary saint and social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru’s “Liquor is poison, do not make it, do not give it, do not drink it.”
Nearly eighty people were benefitted from the medical camp attended by Dr Gauri Shankar Rudra Roy, NEIGRIHMS and city based psychiatry specialist, Dr Pakha Tesia and his wife Dr Sonali Tesia.
Dr Roy informed that patients complained about blood pressure whereas ladies complained more about anemia, back problem due to calcium deficiencies and children with their usual cold and cough related ailments. There were also those who reported about their joint pains whereas there were some patients who had high pressure due to insomnia.