APPL - Action for Peace, Prosperity and Liberty
Collaborative Activity [2008]
Health Check up of Rikshaw Pullers with Awadh Diagnostic Centre, Gorakhpur
Problem Scenario
Healthcare and awareness among Rikshaw Pullers, as common to any unprivileged section of the society, is poor. Rikshaw Pullers, as a group, are generally self-employed people from poor families, illiterate, low income, malnutritioned, having hard & long but not defined working hours, exploited lot, with low awareness about importance of cleanliness and absence of regular health care. Public awareness about health-status of this group is also poor.
Given the need to spread awareness about regular health check-up and health-care in Riksha pullers a health camp,in collaboration with Awadh Diagnostic Centre ,Gorakhpur was organized by APPL at Bitchhia Camp Jungle Tulsi Ram, Gorakhpur ,U.P. on November 23, 2008.
Highlights of the event
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About 110 Rikshaw pullers participated in the program.
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Apart from health screening for some major diseases, and general Eye and dental checkups, importance of cleanliness, which is a key precaution for many diseases, the importance of healthy and nutritious food was also explained.
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Awadh Diagnostic Centre offered to organize to bear for expenses for free X-Ray, Ultra-sound, other clinical tests.
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Local media has widely covered this event.
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Key Findings
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Out of the 110 people screened, it was found that majority of the Rikshaw Pullers were suffering from malnutrition, low blood pressure, liver and respiratory problems.
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About 15% were found so called "healthy", without any major diseases, whereas 12% were found suffering from Tuberculosis, and one person was found suffering from leprosy.
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The medical camp was inaugurated by Dr. A. K Srivastava, Executive Trustee of APPL trust and Dr. Alok Sinha of Sahara Welfare Foundation.
Dr. Naresh Shukla, Dr.Rahul Thakur, Dr.A.K.Pandey, Dr.Thakur Bharat etc participated and given their free services for the medical checkup.
Dr.Sanjay Srivastava, Trustee APPL and Coordinator of the project said that the "Rikshaw pullers as a group of unprivileged section of the society draw no attention from the concerned authorities, wherein they are engaged in carrying out people throughout day and night, in extreme heat of summer and in bitter cold of winter, and harsh rainy seasons".
APPL offered to organize such medical-camps regularly in future for such unprivileged people.
[Report by : Dr. Sanjay Srivastava]
