Parmarth Niketan recently hosted a special initiative, the goal, to combat common public health issues with education in hopes to provide the public with long-term practices that will enhance their overall well-being.

Nine medical professionals visiting from around the globe dedicated their time and talent, treating over 1,100 patients at 3 health camps, which took place Oct. 23-27. The professionals in the group identified the value their knowledge and educational efforts could bring to the local needy populations. Apart from their work in Rishikesh, they also visited the mountain village of Deuli and Gumaniwala during their visit.

“This was a great opportunity to work with the poor and address some all too common public health issues,” said Dr. Tung Nguyen, an emergency and critical care practitioner from Philadelphia, PA, USA.“The education we provide them should ensure a long-term and sustainable health impact that will continue much after our departure. We focus a lot of our efforts on treating dental issues, parasites, skin infections, vitamin deficiencies and other issues that are quite common in poor populations.”

The group spent the first day of their camp at Prakash Bharti, educating teachers, students and their families on the importance of preventative self-care and how they can implement these practices at home and in their daily lives.

“I was most impressed by the kid’s and teacher’s desire to learn,” said Anna Kanyuck, a family medicine practitioner from Philadelphia, PA, USA. “They were so engaged about learning preventative practices, like how to brush their teeth and so on. Teaching them these simple practices can help improve their health and the children can take these skills with them into adulthood.”

The impact made by the health camp will not only be felt in the groups educated and the patients treated but also in the lives of the medical practitioners themselves as they return back to treating their patients in their home countries.

“Coming here and seeing the need and how we can make an impact in the lives and health of these people has been the most rewarding part,” said Jeff Holoman, a family and emergency medicine practitioner from Philadelphia, PA, USA.. “The opportunity to give back and be hands on is one I always value and hope to do as often as I can.”

Tung Nguyen, an emergency and critical care practitioner from the United State, Danica Zold, an emergency and family medicine practitioner from the United States, Anida Hrustic, a nurse from Germany, Sophia Schoene, a nurse from Germany, Ly Nguyen a nurse from the United States, Emily Dy, a family medicine practitioner from the United States, Tahmina Ahmad, a social worker from Bangladesh, Anna Kanyuck a family medicine practitioner from the United States and Jefferey Holoman, a family and emergency medicine practitioner from the United States all provided their services during the camp.