The Art of Living Nepal- a humanitarian and educational, Non-Govermental Organization, affiliated to The Art of Living International, Bangalore, organized a free health camp, targeted to the needy people residing in the peripheries of Maharajgunj, Dhumbarahi, Sukedhara, Kapan and nearby places, at Kantipur English High School, Maharajgunj on 20th April, 2013. This is the first health camp organized by The Art of Living-Nepal, with the combined effort of senior volunteers, teachers, APEX members and AOL trained doctors this year while it has conducted several camps outside the Kathmandu valley and within the valley in various occassions.
His Holiness Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says,
“The world cannot be a better place to live in unless there is a healthy body, stress-free mind and violence-free society.”
The camp was organized in order to focus on improving the current health situation of locals and to provide them with free medication as far as possible.The program started at 9 AM by chanting OM three times. The General Secretary of AOL, Mr.Tulasi Uprety and the Program Co-ordinator, Keshav Nath Upadhyaya, inaugurated the program by putting a garland on the picture of Guruji. There were 7 doctors, 5 pharmacists, 2 paramedics and 17 volunteers who contributed in this program to make it a huge success. More than 125 patients joined for the free check-up facilitated by the doctors from Teaching Hospital, Norvic International and other different hospitals who conduct such health camps every week to help the financially weak people. Quest Pharmaceuticals and Sun Pharmaceuticals stretched their hands sponsoring for the medicines.
While, interacting to some of the patients joining the health camp, 59 years old Prithvi Bahadur Gurung from Chakrapath who had problem in hearing said, “I was walking around and saw the banner in the morning so I came for the check up.The doctors have given some medicines and I hope to be well soon”. Duki Narayan Shrestha, 66 years, says that he has problem in all his body parts and despite having checked up in the hospitals, he still has not felt well so he wanted the help of AOL because he believes in Guruji’s grace. Some children and pregnant women had also come for the check up.
The Art of Living-Nepal further plans to conduct such health camps in Dhulikhel where the Ashram is going to be built. The General Secretary Tulasi Uprety says, “We especially want to target the rural places in Nepal. As this is the first time that we conducted such program, we wanted some experience and I believe this turned out to be a huge success. We will soon conduct similar camp in Dhulikhel along with a musical concert by the OM ROCKERS band. We are obliged to all the doctors, sponsors and volunteers for being such a help.” Poonam Uprety, an AOL teacher, further says that she especially wants to target the slum areas of the valley and want to expand the team of doctors and organize a huge health camp in back warded areas of Nepal.
The teachers, APEX members and the doctors had sponsored for the program. They have further decided to help the economically weak patients in continuing their medication and check-ups by seeking the help of sponsors.
The health camp is one of the initiation of Volunteer for a Prosperous Nepal, for a prosperous Nepal, we need healthy people working actively to develop the nation. The chairman of The Art of Living-Nepal, Mr. Santosh Sharma visited the venue during mid-day with his spouse where he offered flowers to Poojya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Jee’s picture. He discussed with doctors and volunteers about the program and future course of actions to be taken jointly. He thanked everybody involved directly or indirectly in the program.
The Art of Living General Secretary Mr. Tulasi Prasad Uprety officially declared the closing of the program by thanking all once again and also distributed certificate of honor to doctors, paramedics and volunteers for their efforts in making the program successful. Many organizations and individuals have sponsored and supported, along with the doctors and volunteers, to make the event successful.
Local people who participated in the program also thanked Art of living for arranging this noble activity and urged to do such activity regularly with lab support and more equipment.
The article has been compiled and written by Aarju Basnet, volunteer at The Art of Living Nepal Media desk.
Founded in 1981 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,The Art of Living is an educational and humanitarian movement engaged in stress-management and service initiatives.
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