Officials of Indian Islamic Association Qatar and Indian Medical Association Qatar Chapter at a press conference to announce details about the eighth Free Medical Camp, which will be held on April 17.

DOHA: The Indian Islamic Association Qatar (IIAQ) and Indian Medical Association Qatar Chapter (IMA) will organise the eighth Free Medical Camp focussing on allergy and asthma on April 17.

The camp at Al Istiqlal Boys Secondary School, Salata Jadeed, will be held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Hamad Medical Corporation. The camp marks the end of a month-long awareness campaign on hygiene and health protection which began on March 17.

“Apart from conducting a routine medical check-up for the low-income group in Qatar, the camp, initiated in 2002, aims to create awareness about a healthy lifestyle,” said Aboobaker PM, social service convener, IIA. “The camp will facilitate free medical treatment of pre-registered expatriates whose income does not exceed QR1,500 per month. More than 1,000 low-income people have been recruited for the medical check-ups based on questionnaires. The event will include sugar, blood pressure, lipid and BMI (body mass index) tests for all.”

“The analysis of last year’s campaign shows that 78 percent of those who underwent various tests suffered from hypertension and diabetes,” said Dr Sameer Kalandan, President, IMA. “Twenty percent of them had cardiac problems and 25 percent had high lipids. Allergy and asthma were also common among the workers who availed the check-up last year. Follow up camps will be organised each month at IIA premises,” he said.

The day-long camp will also feature a medical exhibition, health awareness classes and medical stalls set up by voluntary organisations. The classes will focus on making changes in one’s lifestyle so as to reduce health risks.

One of the main features of the camp will be the life-saving courses conducted at the venue. The course on CPR will be held in six batches so as to attract more takers. The health education programmes will focus on preventing spread of communicable diseases. Painting and essay writing competitions would also be organised as part of the camp

As in the past years, the main sponsor of the event would be Qatar Telecommunications (QTel).