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Rotary Club to eradicate TB in Chandigarh: Rotary international president
While talking to the Hindustan Times, Rotary international president Gordon R McInally said, “Chandigarh Rotary Club has already identified the areas, and now, in collaboration with the UT health department, they are providing supplements to the patients”
Rotary international president Gordon R McInally, who is on his three-day visit to Chandigarh, said Rotary has eradicated polio in the country, and now the Chandigarh Rotary Club has taken an initiative to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from the city.
While talking to the Hindustan Times, he said, “Chandigarh Rotary Club has already identified the areas, and now, in collaboration with the UT health department, they are providing supplements to the patients.”
He also commended the club’s endeavour to eradicate polio from the city. The club is supporting 300 TB patients for six months by providing nutritious food rations every month to each one of them.
“Rotary International’s motive is to prioritise mental health in the entire world. We are working on it and preparing a report. Mental health is one of the other major projects of the Rotary, which is under focus. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many people are left traumatised and they need to be counselled and treated,” he said, adding that “The biggest challenge, of course, is to generate awareness among people and remove the stigma associated with mental health conditions.”
He said Rotary has a long history of working for peace through personal connections, but the pandemic made it difficult to do that face-to-face. “Inspired by what we have learned during this time, we will encourage districts to incorporate virtual components into more of their programmes, events and activities,” he added.
On empowering girls, Gordon said, “Rotary will continue the initiative launched by 2021-22 that focused on empowering girls and women around the world. We encourage members to keep finding ways to improve the health, well-being, education and economic security of girls.”
Later, while addressing a congregation of over 300 Rotarians at Chandigarh Judicial Academy in Sector 43, Gordon said, “Rotary creates hope in the world by building bridges of peace and understanding around the globe through love and respect for every human being, which alone can create the environment for better economic conditions, better health, a better life and a better world.”
He said Rotarians worldwide are engaged in freeing this world of polio, for efforts are afoot to eradicate it from the remaining two countries in the world, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Gordon commended the Rotary Club of Chandigarh for its Heartline project under which 778 lives of children have been saved so far since 1999. He said he was happy to meet Anu of Naya Gaon, who has already been operated, and Daphine from Zambia, whose surgery would be conducted soon at Fortis Hospital in Mohali, which is the partner organisation with Rotary Club of Chandigarh for this project.
The president also felicitated eight Rotarians who have decided to become a part of the Arch Klumph Society by contributing $250,000 to the Rotary foundation. The Rotarians include Subhash Garg and Praveen from Yamunanagar, PJ Singh and Dr Rajinder Kaur of Chandigarh, Jagesh Khaitan and Usha, as well as Vinod Kapoor from the city and Kapil Gupta from Yamunanagar.
