Free health camps for slum dwellers by Art of Living

Over 20,000 slum dwellers were treated by a team of 262 doctors in a month-long campaign by the Art of Living (AoL) foundation, it was announced here Friday.

The 108 free health checkup and awareness camps were launched April 14 in collaboration with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in slum clusters in several east Delhi localities in five phases over five consecutive Sundays. The last round is scheduled May 12.

"The camps focused on detection and treatment for acute illnesses, provision of health education and spreading awareness about maternal health," said Maheish Girri, international director of AoL.

According to V.K. Goyal, president of IMA east Delhi, eye problems among the slum dwellers was a major concern.

"We would be collaborating with eye hospitals in the capital to conducts free eye check-up camps and cataract operations as a follow up exercise," he said.

Medicines worth Rs.22 lakh were distributed by a team of 1,634 volunteers who worked with the doctors.

The camps were organised under Volunteer for a Better India, an initiative launched by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar earlier this year.