The Hindu 12.04.2010
Focus on growing menace of urban health disorders
Special Correspondent
| Many from Wellington participate in Health Run |
— Photo: Special Arrangement 
For healthy society:The Commandant, Military Hospital, Brigadier B.N.B.M. Prasad flagging off a Health Run at Wellington, near Udhagamandalam, on Sunday.
Udhagamandalam: A week-long programme to mark World Health Day organised by the Military Hospital concluded at Wellington near here on Sunday.
The curtain was brought down with a ‘Health Run' in which a good number of people including children from Wellington and surroundings participated enthusiastically.
The Commandant, Military Hospital, Brigadier B.N.B.M. Prasad, who flagged off the run, pointed out that the theme for the observance of World Health Day this year was, ‘Urbanisation and Health'. He added that simple lifestyle modifications such as healthy diet, clean habits, regular exercise and avoiding smoking and drinking could make a world of a difference in creating a healthy urban society.
The institution would extend the benefits of its awareness drive to the people of the Nilgiris in different ways to promote a healthy and clean urban environment.
Describing the selection of the theme by World Health Organisation (WHO) as apt, Surgical Specialist, Military Hospital, Lt.Col. Rajesh Khanna pointed out that globally, in recent years there had been a rapid growth in urban population. Over three billion people dwell in the cities. The growing irreversible trend was linked with many health related challenges associated with water and air pollution, accidents, non communicable and communicable diseases.
This growing menace had become a source of concern to the WHO.
He said the Military Hospital, which was established in 1890 to provide the best possible healthcare to defence personnel and their families, had been in the forefront in sensitising them to the growing problems on the health front.
During the observance of World Health Day experts delivered lectures on various health related challenges which had emerged from urbanisation and sedentary lifestyle.
