The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Miles to go in healthcare for all people, says Kanimozhi

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Miles to go in healthcare for all people, says Kanimozhi

Special Correspondent

Community arogya programme launched

— Photo: M. Vedhan

Care for the elderly: Kanimozhi, MP, presenting the two-year membership card to an elder at a function in Malar Hospital on Thursday.(From left) City Police Commissioner R. Sekhar, actor Vishal, Malar Hospitals director Dr. Nithya Ramamurthy and zonal director Krish Ramesh are in the picture.

CHENNAI: Despite the efforts made by the State and Central governments, the country has a long way to go in ensuring healthcare facilities for all people, said Member of Parliament Kanimozhi here on Thursday.

Launching ‘Community Arogya Programme’ (CAP) of Malar Hospital, she said such initiatives would help to spread awareness among people about the need to see a doctor when they have a problem. “It is an ordeal for many people to visit a hospital or consult a doctor. We wait until it is too late before we go to a doctor. Women need to consider going for a general check up every year. At a time of nuclear families with elders living alone, initiatives such as those by Malar Hospital would reach out to the community,” she said.

The CAP includes a 10-day screening camp for back and neck pain from Thursday. The camp will provide orthopaedic consultation, X-ray and blood sugar test if required.

At the programme, in which Commissioner of Police R. Sekar and actor Vishal participated, the hospital also launched its ‘Golden Age Club’ card service for people over 60 years of age. The card entitles the owner to discounts in treatments and free ambulance service at the hospital, the authorities said.

Nand Kumar Sundaram, Joint and Replacement Orthopaedic Surgeon, cited a study done by the Post Graduate Institute in Rohtak which found that 27 per cent of the population studied had back pain and of these 57 per cent were in the 25-45 years of age.

Stretching exercises for 45 minutes a day for such persons would prevent back ache, he said.

It is not enough for women to eat calcium but exercise forms an important part, he remarked.

“Calcium alone is not enough. Exercise stimulates bones,” Dr. Nand Kumar said.

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