The healthcare fever seems to be catching up with corporate India. The forthcoming Perfect Health Mela '99 has been branded as the MTNL Perfect Health Mela this year. The organiser, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI), has managed to rope in other unlikely corporate partners such as Tata Tea, etc. A charitable trust, HCFI organises the event annually to create health awareness among the public.Apart from being a source of support for the organiser, the sponsor's participation may be of added interest to the visitors. HCFI is aiming to harness MTNL's technology to show open heart surgery live at the mela. The logistics are being worked out. And for the others, it's a part of their social initiative. Says Girish Tyagi, general manager (marketing) with Tata Tea, ``We are associating ourselves with the mela as part of shouldering our social responsibility.'' Of course, Tata Tea will be doing its bit for itself, too. Its branded tea will be on offer to the visitors.
The theme of the week-long (October 29to November 2) mela to be held in the Capital is: World Crosses Six Billion: Challenges for the Next Millennium.``Apart from focussing on creating health awareness in public at large, the mela will seek to inform people about the rising incidence of various diseases, and impart education about their preventive measures,'' says Dr K K Aggarwal, executive vice-president of HCFI.
To achieve maximum impact, the mela will have separate sections dedicated to different spheres of healthcare. The Social and Health Section will showcase the latest techniques developed by Indian and international agencies. Apart from covering mental health, spiritual health, social health and environmental health, the section will also focus on alternative systems of medicine.
A big draw in the section will be free health check-ups by eminent doctors and paramedical staff, and free laboratory facilities. Free counselling will also be provided on AIDS and HIV infections, cancer and thalassaemia, etc. Experts and counsellors havebeen invited from even alternative systems of medicine, like acupuncture, yoga, homeopathy, naturopathy, etc. ``In all services worth Rs 1 crore will be on offer,'' estimates Aggarwal.
The Business Section will have healthcare products on display as well as for sale. Health and fitness, personal hygiene, consumer products, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage majors are expected to participate in this section.
Besides, the mela will have fun and frolic events, including quizzes and on-the-spot competitions in painting, fashion, etc, for students as well as the general public. Health need not be boring, after all.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.