Vadodara: An Ayush Mela was organized on Thursday at Kumar School in Waghodia under the chairmanship of District Panchayat President Gayatriben Mahida. The event was held under the joint auspices of the Ayurveda Branch of the Vadodara District Panchayat and the Parul Institute of Ayurveda and Research, Limda. On this occasion, a significant Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two institutions with the objective of freeing children registered in the Anganwadis of Waghodia taluka from malnutrition.
Under the terms of this agreement, children registered in all Anganwadis of Waghodia taluka will be provided with Ayurvedic treatment, nutritional guidance, and regular supervision to effectively control the issue of malnutrition. As per agency report, this initiative is designed to ensure comprehensive care and monitoring for the affected children.
In the inaugural session of the program, District Panchayat President Gayatriben Mahida stated that the Ayush Mela serves as a powerful medium to increase awareness about Ayurveda. She provided information on the benefits of traditional home remedies and various Ayurvedic treatment methods, describing the MoU as a historic step towards making Waghodia taluka malnutrition-free. She expressed confidence that the number of approximately 400 children currently suffering from malnutrition would be brought down to zero in the future, positioning the taluka as a leader in the field of nutrition.
She further appealed to Anganwadi workers and parents to play an active role in the nutrition campaign and encouraged the increased use of millets in daily diets. She also remarked that in the current stressful lifestyle, Ayush practices such as Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy are extremely useful for maintaining a healthy and balanced life.
District Vice President Ashwinbhai Patel addressed the gathering by calling for the adoption of Ayurveda for a healthy lifestyle, noting that malnutrition is one of the country's serious problems for which the government is making continuous efforts. He shared his personal experiences to highlight the benefits of Ayurveda. Parul Institute Ayush Center Chairman Komalben Patel provided details about the various Ayush services offered by the institute. Chief District Ayurveda Officer Dr. Dahima, in his welcome speech, emphasized the importance of Ayurveda and termed the collaboration between the Ayush Department, ICDS Department, and Parul Institute as a new chapter in the health sector. Dr. Sarika presented the outline of the Ayush Mela and gave information regarding daily routines, Panchakarma, and other Ayurvedic treatments.
During the Ayush Mela, nutrition kits were distributed to healthy children from Anganwadis, and awards were presented to Anganwadi workers for outstanding performance, as well as to winners of the Healthy Child competition and Health Quiz. The fair featured yoga demonstrations, health quizzes, and consultation services related to Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, which were utilized by a large number of citizens.
This is the first MoU in the history of the Vadodara District Panchayat specifically aimed at the eradication of malnutrition. Waghodia taluka has a total of 175 Anganwadis with approximately 400 malnourished children. Under this initiative, all children will undergo screening, with primary treatment provided at two Ayush hospitals. Furthermore, necessary advanced treatment, medicines, transportation, accommodation, and nutrition kits will be made available at the Parul Institute Ayush Center to ensure the children are completely freed from malnutrition.
The program was attended by District Panchayat Executive Chairman Nareshbhai Purani, Health Committee Chairman Narendrabhai Rohit, the CDPO, TDO, senior officials from the district administration, health department officers, THOs, Ayush experts, and a large number of student volunteers.
