Preservation of health is a sacred duty: AJC

Kakinada: Additional Joint Collector Rama Rao urged that everyone should know about the value of health and work hard to protect it. He was the chief guest at the World Health Day programme organised at the district Medical and Health office on Sunday. He said that one should know the value of health and follow certain guidelines to protect it. He announced that controlling BP was the most important issue on World Health Day. Stating that the government is giving top priority to health, he said that it is sanctioning funds under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for supplying medicines and arranging the necessary equipment. The government is sanctioning funds to provide facilities in government hospitals on par with the corporate hospitals, he said, and urged the doctors to serve the poor by giving the best of services. He said that there is little awareness among the public about high blood pressure and added that wide publicity should be given to reasons for high blood pressure and the steps to be taken to prevent this. Less salt in food, timely exercise as the health permits, controlling of thoughts and a moderate in eating, besides giving up smoking and drinking will keep BP under control, he said. Stating that salt adds to the taste of food, he said that because of excessive use of it and overeating also add to the rise in BP. By eating fast foods one falls sick. Many diseases are caused because of this, he said. By gradually changing the food habits and taking medicines the BP will come down, he added. Doctors should make the people aware of taking nutritious food in order to prevent diseases, the AJC said. The government is creating a lot of facilities through the Maarpu scheme for pregnant women and for children through the Sukhibhava scheme, he said. It is creating awareness on a number of diseases like TB, AIDS and Leprosy and is moving forward, he added. It is dangerous for women to deliver at homes with the help of midwives. It will be safe deliveries at the government hospitals which have all the modern facilities and medicines, he said. Later, prizes were distributed to the most efficient staff of the Medical and Health Department and also to those who had won in essay competitions. The AJC flagged off a health rally from the DMH office. Meanwhile, the local Marwadi Yuva Manch organised voluntary blood donation camp at the Jain Aradhana Bhavan on Sunday. Rotary Blood Bank chief Dr Kamaraj organised primary medical tests. President Nirmal Jain, camp chairman Ashesh Aggarwal, camp coordinator Abhinash Jain, founder president Ashok Agarwal, secretary Gopal Sarma participated. Many couples volunteered to donate blood. On this occasion, Nirmal Jain appreciated the youth who had come forward to voluntarily donate blood. "It is healthy to donate blood as it will be replenished," he said.