135 cities 20K docs 900 Alkem employees 3 lac citizens will participate 

‘Alchemy’ between IMA & a Pharma Company for Clean India

New Delhi, May 19: Forget allegedly ‘unclean’ relationship between pharma companies and doctors.

IMA, the biggest trade union of Indian doctors and Alkem laboratories, India’s fifth largest pharmaceutical company, has wedded for a cause.  The pharma major has planned to organize the biggest ever Clean India National Movement by Indian doctors on May 23 partnering with the big daddy doctors’ body.

Mahesh Kavathekar, Vice President, alkem Laboratories announced this mega Clean India drive in a press conference in Delhi on May 19. Talking to Meditoall editor Dhananjay Kumar, he said, ‘In keeping with PM Modi’s sublime Clean India clarion call, Alkem Chronic, an SBU of Alkem Laboratories, decided to roll out the biggest ever Clean India National Movement by Indian doctors. Our message is simple and crisp – A Clean India will deliver a Healthy India.’

The rally in New Delhi will be initiated at two parallel venues in Delhi, namely the Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital & the Guru Tej Bahadur Hospital.

Mr. Kavathekar further said, ‘Alkem is proud to be the first pharmaceutical company to initiate the biggest ever ‘Clean India’ National movement by Indian doctors as our contribution to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The rally will be held between 9:30 – 11am on Saturday 23rd May simultaneously in 135 cities.’

Dr KK Aggarwal, Secretary General, Indian Medical Association said, ‘We feel charity begins at home, so we would make all efforts to get all hospitals of Delhi clean. We will be spreading awareness about this cause to all 2.5 lakh members of IMA across 1700 branches and asking them to join the movement. There could have been no better platform to raise awareness about this cause than the one that has been provided by Alkem Chronic.’ Dr Ajay Lekhi, President, Delhi Medical Association, said, ‘We believe that awareness is the first step to disease prevention and are proud to be associated with this movement. Health and cleanliness are two sides of the same coin and we sincerely believe that just by keeping the environment clean, the majority of common diseases can be eliminated.’

Dr. Pankaj Aneja, senior consultant at Fortis, Dr S.C. Manchanda, Senior Cardiologist at Gangaram Hospital & Dr. Ashok Kumar Jhingan – a reputed Diabetologist stressed the need of cleanliness in disease prevention. The nimble footed Mrs. Ashvini R. Khandelwal, Sr. Brand Manager Alkem Chronic was studiously gauging the mood of the journalists about the campaign and sensitizing everyone from among them to support the biggest ever Clean India campaign.

Globally 33 percent of the diseases in children under the age of five are caused by environmental exposures which include living in unclean surroundings and following unhygienic practices. According to a recent research by the Public Health Association, only 53 percent of the population washes hands with soap after defecation, 38 percent before eating and 30 percent before preparing food. Hand washing with soap, can reduce diarrheal diseases by over 40 per cent.  It’s in our hands to give our future generation a clean and healthy India.

The World Health Organization recently released a report declaring Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. There are various diseases like chronic respiratory ailments, heart problems that get precipitated by an unclean environment. Steps can be taken by each and every individual to reduce this environmental disease burden. Small measures like safe household water storage, better hygienic measures, more judicious waste management and use of pest control at home and workplace can help us to pave a long way in keeping city clean and thus in turn avert a host of diseases.

Improper sanitation, unhygienic habits, unclean surroundings, improper disposal of waste and open defecation all drastically increase the prevalence of disease in our country. It is deplorable that over 3 lakh children die before the age of 3 every year of diarrheal illnesses. This situation is preventable and the medical fraternity can play a great role in educating the masses about the inextricable relationship between sanitation and health. It is a fact that over 50% of the common diseases such as Malaria, Cholera, Diarrhea, Typhoid, Gastroenteritis can be prevented just by keeping one’s environment clean; and the resultant burden on the health budget can also be reduced.