Health is one of the fundamental rights that every individual is entitled to, but does being healthy merely imply the absence of disease or infirmity?
In the backdrop of increasing lifestyle diseases and our quest to provide universal healthcare access to all, 30 enthusiastic Switch India Volunteers including Physicians, Specialists, Physiotherapists & medical students from various colleges participated in the Urban Medical Camp held in Badlapur(Thane) on the 19 th of August 2018.
The camp was organized as a part of the birthday celebrations of Mr. Shailesh Kesarinath Vadnare, honourable Nagarsevak, Dattawadi, Badlapur. A typical hazy monsoon morning marked our arrival at the camp site around 9 am. The camp was preceded by the inauguration ceremony conducted by the beloved Shivsena workers of Dattawadi branch.
Sweets and beverages were distributed amongst those gathered and we were all set for the commencement of the camp. An overwhelming crowd of more than 220 patient’s underwent screening at different levels including Blood pressure, general physical examination, dental examination and were accordingly treated by our physicians, specialists, and physiotherapists.
Free Medicines were provided under the pharmacy section according to the individual's need and patients were given referrals to nearby health centers in view of their condition & also counselled on various aspects of Health, hygiene, lifestyle modifications & sanitation by our enthusiastic volunteers. Also, a free eye checkup and distribution of free spectacle frames was conducted as a part of the program.
The importance of exercising and its impact on mental, physical and social wellbeing was essentially emphasized on and pamphlets explaning the correct way of performing the same, printed in Marathi were also distributed amongst the patient's under the physiotherapy section.
The cases that needed immediate and better medical intervention were given appropriate referrals. The volunteers were served breakfast and lunch too. And the camp winded up around 4pm, with a sense of satisfaction and humility of having served our community with our own little bit.
Thus, we all departed with memories and experiences to be cherished forever and a sense of responsibility and commitment towards making our world a better healthier place to live in!
A big thank you to all our volunteers who contributed their best in making this camp a fruitful one! Ultimately, what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived, it is the difference that we have made in the lives of others that shall determine the significance of the life we lead!
