The seminar was inaugurated at 9 AM on 7th April by Prof Y.C. Simhadri, Vice Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University and presided by Shri Alok Kumar, IAS, the District magistrate of Varanasi. Director Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, CMO Varanasi and various Dignetries of Varanasi and BHU were present.

In the Health Mela, there were 50 Medical stalls, covering all the OPDs of BHU Hospital. 200 doctors, including residents of BHU, 25 doctors of allopathy system from the District Administration, 30 Doctors of Ayurveda and Unani for the State Government services, 40 private practitioners were present for 2 days mela from 8 AM to 7 PM.

Besides the regular OPDs there were 20 stalls of different modes of Health providers such as Art of Living, Pranic Healing, Reki,sahaj Yoga, Yoga, Pranayama,Brahma Kumari camp, Pancha karma camp, Chinese medicine, Aquipressure, aquipunchere, magnet therapy, Piramid Therapy, naturopathy, diet counseling, psychological Counsiling, meditations, homeopathy, Unani systems of medicine.

About 15, 000 persons visited the Mela. Out of them 4300 persons registered them selves as patient to take medical advice. In the mela medicines of worth Rs 60,000/= were distributed free of cost to the needy persons.

In the middle of the ground there was a pandal for seminar and popular lectures, with 500 seating arrangements. 44 lectures were delivered and there were 8 dropouts. The abstract of some of the selected lectures has been published in the souvenir. For the seminar, there were 100 paid registered participants, who paid Rs 100/= for their registration. Other 380 participants were invited delegates, who volunteered themselves in mela as physicians and surgeons.

Follow up of this Programme

As a follow up the foundation has registered the names of 160 health providers, working in Varanasi. They are not qualified doctors but actively involved in the health programmes. The Foundation has decided to impart a training programme to these persons so that they can give better service to the society.

Another programme, which has been taken up by the foundation is to give a complete health package to the patients of chronic diseases, by involving the allopathy, ayurveda, punchakarma, physiotherapy and meditation practices.

(Yamini Bhusan Tripathi)
Organising Secretary
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Medical Sciences,
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005