Over 60% of villagers in Pandhari Pimpalgaon anaemic, finds IMA drive

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: More than 60% of the residents of Pandhari Pimpalgaon village, about 30km from here, are anaemic, according to a health check-up conducted by the local chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Pandhari Pimpalgaon is one of five villages adopted by the local IMA chapter in Aurangabad district as part of its ‘Aao Gaon Chale’ initiative to empower the rural population.As part of the drive, blood tests of 141 villagers were conducted. Of this, 88 were found to be anaemic.Dr Anupam Takalkar, secretary of the local IMA chapter, said a dedicated team of doctors visited the village on Sunday to distribute the test reports. “The IMA members offered detailed consultations to the anaemic villagers. We educated each individual about the need for a healthy and balanced diet, and addressed all their health-related queries,” he said.Chapter president Dr Yashwant Gade said the patients were administered the full dose of required medication for free. “Persistent tiredness, shortness of breath, pale skin and cold hands and feet are some of the symptoms of anaemia, which is the absence of the required proportion of red blood cells in the body. A healthy diet including green vegetables, fruits, sprouts and proteins can avoid this health issue,” he said.Dr Anjali Bansod, Dr Yogesh Lakkas and Dr Prafull Jatale were among the health professionals who were part of the anaemia detection drive. As a social commitment, the local chapter of IMA has been undertaking the ‘Aao Gaon Chale’ initiative involving the adoption of five villages. The initiative covers Pandhari Pimpalgaon, Dhamori, Bokud Jalgaon, Wadachi Wadi/Chimnapur Wadi and Shivgad Tanda village.