Kolkata: For the past 20 years, Champahati Health Fair Welfare Society, a voluntary organization based in Baruipur near the Sundarbans in West Bengal, has been organizing health fairs to raise awareness about healthcare and provide medical services. Their persistent efforts in healthcare have been remarkable, but this year’s health fair added a special dimension, setting a new benchmark in healthcare awareness in West Bengal and sparking discussions among the public.
For the first time, the South Asian Climate Change Journalists Forum collaborated with the health fair. On December 8th, the 19th Health Fair 2024 was inaugurated with a rally involving over 100 young bikers from the Rider Community of Bengal, spreading health awareness across various locations in Baruipur. The rally was attended by the chief organizer of the fair, Prosenjit Mistry, former Indian national football team player Amit Bhadra, renowned football juggler Uttam Das, and other notable personalities.
The health fair began on December 12th and continued until December 15th. Over four days, nearly 5,000 people underwent health check-ups, and several programs were organized. Free medical examinations, health awareness seminars, and various initiatives were part of the fair. Special attention was given to cancer awareness. Notably, for the first time in West Bengal, an advanced AI-based contactless breast cancer screening was conducted at the fairground, identifying three women with breast cancer.
On December 13th, the South Asian Climate Change Journalists Forum organized a seminar titled “Impact of Climate Change on Public Health” at the fair. The seminar honored Chami Murmu, a female environmental warrior from Jharkhand and a Padma Shri awardee from the Government of India. Renowned environmentalist and retired professor S.C. Santra delivered a keynote speech. Throughout the four-day fair, the forum distributed pamphlets on “Climate Change and Public Health.”
The opening ceremony also felicitated the forum’s president, Asish Gupta. Director of Champahati Health Fair Welfare Society, Prosenjit Mistry, remarked, “This year, we focused specifically on raising awareness about cancer, particularly breast cancer, among women from marginalized areas. With the support of Nirami, we conducted contactless breast cancer screenings for over 100 women, successfully identifying three cases. We are now working to provide free treatment for these women.”
At a seminar during the fair, Dr. Subhadeep Chakraborty, head of the cancer department at Apollo Hospital, explained the identification and treatment of various types of cancer. Dr. Ajay Chakraborty, former health director of West Bengal and a guest of honor, emphasized that the primary aim of such fairs is to raise awareness among the public. He suggested that such health fairs could become the main platform for fostering health awareness.
Notable members from the South Asian Climate Change Journalists Forum, including the executive president Asaduzzaman Shamrat from Bangladesh, secretary-general Karamot Ullah Biplob, vice-president Sriram Subedi from Nepal, Mohammad Rabnawaz Chaudhary from Pakistan, deputy secretary-general Rinzin Wangchuk from Bhutan, and renowned journalist Soumya Bandopadhyay from Delhi, extended their wishes for the success of the health fair through video messages.
