Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 24: Promoting preventive healthcare, nutrition and safe medicine use, the Ayush Wing of the Directorate of Health Services and the Andaman & Nicobar State Ayush Society organised an Ayush Health Mela at Ayush Hospital, Junglighat, on September 23.
The programme was held as part of Ayurveda Day 2026, themed “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow”, and Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026, themed “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”. The event brought together Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, nutrition and other health services, along with awareness activities and public participation.
The mela featured a free comprehensive health screening camp offering Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Nutrition, Specialist, Gynecological and Optometry services. Participants also visited a mini exhibition on Ayurveda, nutrition and wellness, while medicinal and spice saplings were distributed under the supervision of Dr. Suryakant Singh, Medical Officer (Ayur).
The Peripheral Pharmacovigilance Centre conducted awareness activities on drug safety, rational medicine use and objectionable advertisements. Recipe and poster-making competitions were also held, followed by the felicitation of winners and distribution of certificates.
In the Ayurveda Day drawing/poster competition, Category I, for Classes VI–VIII, saw Aaliya Fathima of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, B. Dharsini of Government Model Senior Secondary School and Aditi of Government Middle School, Dignabad take the first, second and third positions respectively. In Category II, for Classes IX–XII, Saanvee Kaligithi of St. Mary’s School, Bathu Basti, Priya Pal of PM Shri GSSS Prothrapur and Banshary Roy Nandi of Don Bosco S.S.S., Chouldari secured the top three positions.
Among DBRAIT students, recipe competition winners were M. Sathya and RA Manisha, B. Bala Krishna and E. Harika, and S. Jashan and Vivek Basare in first, second and third positions. Among Anganwadi workers, Santhi and Saidan Bibi, Ramola and Neelam, and Banu Kumari and Jaya Mary won the respective positions.
Dr. Siddharaju, DHS, attended as chief guest, with Sumathimol, Director, CRC, Brookshabad, as guest of honour and Dr. Ajay Verma, MS, G.B. Pant Hospital, as special guest. Dr. Manabika Dutta, Medical Officer (Homoeo), welcomed the gathering, while Dr. Kalyan P. Kadbhane, DD, Ayush, delivered the keynote address and highlighted month-long activities by Ayush units across the Islands under Ayurveda Day and Poshan Maah.
