Nagpur: Although elephantiasis is not a life-threatening disease, it is an incapacitating ailment that gives permanent disability to humans. Due to this disease, the size of the foot grows abnormally. As it was difficult to get the shoes fit for these huge feet, elephant disease sufferers have to walk around barefoot. But now there is a comforting solution to all these adverse situations. Due to the special initiative of Commissioner and Administrator of Nagpur Municipal Corporation Radhakrishnan B, in collaboration with Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown, special shoes have been made available and distributed to elephant disease sufferers. The Municipal Commissioner personally distributed these shoes and interacted with the affected. Interestingly, Nagpur Municipal Corporation has become the first municipal corporation in the country to distribute special shoes to elephant disease sufferers.
In association with Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown, the country’s first distribution project of special footwear for elephantiasis patients was started on Wednesday. Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Radhakrishnan B, Additional Commissioner Ram Joshi, Assistant Joint Director Health Services (Cold Fever and Elephantiasis) Dr Nimgade, World Health Organisation Coordinator Dr. Bhagyashree Trivedi, Cold Fever and Elephantiasis Officer Dr. Jasmin Mulani, Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown President Dr. Vikas Ingle, Vivek Deshpande, Patrikar and others were present on the occasion.
On this occasion Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Radhakrishnan B himself made the elephant disease patients wear shoes and got acquainted with their problems. MMDP (Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention) clinic/ Elephant Disease Management Center was started at Manewada Urban Primary Health Center by Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Nagpur Municipal Corporation is the first Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra to start MMDP Clinic in Primary Health Centre. Apart from this, the commissioner said that public awareness is being created regarding elephantiasis disease and preventive pills given to prevent it.
The Elephantiasis Disease Eradication Campaign is being implemented by the Municipal Corporation. Due to the support received from this campaign, some parts of the city have been freed from elephantiasis. However, the effect of this disease is still visible in some areas. The cooperation of the citizens is very necessary to make the entire city free from elephantiasis. NMC commissioner Radhakrishnan B also appealed that organisations like Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown come forward for such human welfare activities and other organisations should follow this and cooperate in making Nagpur city healthy. If this happens, he expressed his belief that Nagpur Municipal Corporation will definitely advance in the field of health till 2025. Apart from this, he also congratulated Dr. Jasmin Mulani, Elephantiasis Officer, who started such a philanthropic activity.
Concept of ‘caring beyond medical treatment’ gaining momentum
Dr. Jasmin Mullani, elephantiasis officer, introduced the programme’s proceedings. She said that the number of elephant disease patients is more in Chandrapur district. Currently there are 837 elephantiasis patients in Nagpur. Among them, 100 needy patients have been given special footwear by Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown. First of all, 25 patients have been distributed these footwear and Nagpur Municipal Corporation has become the first municipal corporation in the country to implement this type of project. Dr Jasmin Mulani said that the concept of ‘caring beyond medical treatment’ has been implemented for this project.
