Vaishnav Temple of New York and Indo-American Senior Citizen Center of New York, Inc. jointly held a South Asian Diabetes Expo, sponsored by American Diabetes Association, on Sunday, November 1st, where a large number of people took advantage of free consultation provided by several doctors and health care professionals.
The health expo commenced with a prayer. Doctors practicing in different specialties which included dermatology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, rheumatology, cardiology, oncology, hematology, internal medicine, infectious diseases, vascular surgeon, nutritionist and nurses provided their voluntary services including blood pressure and A1C blood test. Yoga demonstration and exercises aptly conducted by Mrs. Divya Todai and her daughter Sweta Todai attracted scores of people. Flu shots were given to many people.
Dr. Himanshu Pandya, Chairman of Health Committee, underscored the necessity of regular check-ups and stressed the maxim that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Dr. Arvind Shah, Chairman of the Haveli Board of Trustees stated that those receiving medical advice seemed pleased since they got a chance for a free consultation on a one-to-one basis with specialists available under one roof which saved their considerable time.
Dr Parag Mehta, Vice chairman, New York Methodist hospital stated the goal of expo is to fight diabetes through education and healthy lifestyle. Dr Inderpal Chhabra, Medical director, NSLIJ Care connect insurance suggested community health fair is important to reduce diabetes related complications. Dr Tarun Wasil and Dr Ojas Desai provided initial screening for participants.
Heavy traffic of people was observed seeking eye examination conducted by Dr. Nita Mehta, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Stony Brook University, and her team of four ophthalmologists. Likewise, a stream of people with joint problems had lined up to see Dr. Kamini Shah, Rheumatologist.
Mrs. Asha Dharawat, President of the Brahmin Samaj of New York, was impressed by the health expo since it provided medical guidance to all and was particularly a boon to those who were uninsured. She praised the arrangement of the health expo and the team work of the specialists, health care professionals and volunteers. Dr. Ramesh Thakkar, a practicing dentist in Glen Oaks, echoed similar views.
