Hyd-based Helping Hand Foundation sets up free wellness center for women

Hyderabad: In a first of its kind, a city-based NGO has set up a free wellness center for women in the primary health care center in Masjid e Mustafa, Rajendranagar.

The wellness program, initiated by the Helping Hand Foundation (HHF), is tied to the non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention and control initiative that the NGO is running. Women with high risk of NCDs, mainly with BMIs greater than 25 and those already with morbid conditions have been identified to undergo training under the wellness program.

Highly trained and professional counselors are part of the clinic who counsel at an average of 25-30 patients daily. A total of 350 women aging between 25 – 55 years have been screened for NCDs at the clinic using a World Health Organization (WHO) template to determine the risk factors for NCDs.

The response from Women has been overwhelming, the organizers said. Nafeesa Fatima, one of the participants said that she was feeling energetic after joining the classes and that she had motivated other women in that area to join the sessions. Another participant Ghousia Nausheen said that she was suffering from malice and lethargy and after joining the clinic, she has found much improvement in her day to day life.

The key driver to set up a wellness clinic in a primary health care center for women is that women from lower economic strata do not have access to enough space and tools for physical activity, which so vital for their well-being, said Mujtaba Hasan Askari, founder of HHF. Moreover, working out and the gym is beyond the means of many and are also taboo, he adds.

In the first batch, a group of 30 women have got enrolled in the weight loss program and they will undergo moderate to intense workout sessions followed by training on treadmill, cross trainer and muscle toning, said Dr. Sana Siddique, the wellness trainer.