GHAZIABAD: A group of 28 doctors and paramedical staff members of Ludhiana's All Saints Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (a college of physiotherapy) has been camping at the Ghazipur border since Saturday. Headed by the institute's chairman, it is attending to farmers suffering from various ailments.
Ranbir Singh Sekhon, chairman of the institute, said: "We are getting support from doctors from Rajasthan, UP and Punjab. Of all the borders where farmers are protesting, medical support is most needed at Ghazipur. Farmers who reached here after overcoming several obstacles are facing shortage of medicines for ailments like diabetes and hypertension."
Ranbir's twin, Karan Singh Sekhon, an information security manager with an MNC in Toronto, had flown to India recently and is also at the border now. "I could not stop myself from coming here. On Sunday, we formed a group of youths and ex-army men here to keep tabs on the situation."
The team of doctors technicians and paramedical staff has attended to over 1,400 people, they said. Several desks have been set up where doctors are checking blood pressure and vision. They are also providing physiotherapy and homoeopathy medicines. The group has also distributed spectacles.
Dilchain Singh, a technician, said: "If this agitation continues, we will go to every border. Farmers told us that every effort was being made to stop them and in the rush, they could not make proper arrangements."
The team reached the spot on Saturday at 8 am.
Paramgeet Garg, a nurse, said: "We spoke to several elderly people whose BP and blood sugar levels were quite high and we asked them to rest, but they refused to do so. We fully support the cause as all of us come from similar backgrounds." Mayank Talwar, a physiotherapist, said: "The cold is playing havoc with the health of farmers, especially who are old."
Ranbir said that they have planned to hold a bigger camp at the border next Sunday where they will distribute 5,000 jackets.