RCNS Bulletin – June 10, 2026

 

Chair of the Meeting: President Danny Cassidy

 

Anthem: Gordon Brown

 

Toast to The King, Canada and Rotary: President Danny Cassidy

 

Land Acknowledgement: President Danny Cassidy

 

Attendance: 11 members.

 

 

Speaker: Suresh introduced Dr. Romesh Gupta and Dr. Abhay Vaidaya. They joined us via Zoom from the U.K.

 

They are both very accomplished and highly respected Medical Professionals in the U.K. They are both retired but involved in the community through their volunteer work. Suresh has known Dr. Gupta since 1984 when he was invited by the Canadian Government to work in General Hospital in Edmonton Alberta. Apart from his medical accomplishments Dr. Gupta was awarded Officer of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth and is also a recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship.

 

Dr. Gupta founded the National Forum of Health and Welfare (NFHW) in 2001. This later developed to the Health Mela concept in 2001 to address healthcare inequalities among ethnic minorities in Preston, UK, by bringing together various health services providers in a friendly, family-oriented fair-like environment. The presentation detailed how the event includes health checks, educational stalls, fun activities, and breakfast meetings with healthcare professionals, with attendance ranging from 450 to 2,000 people per event. They discussed their expansion to multiple locations including Cumbria, Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, London, India, and Libya, with events typically running once yearly for 4-5 hours and being supported by partnerships with NHS, local councils, universities, and community organizations. The doctors explained that medical tests are conducted by trained staff with proper insurance coverage and referrals made to general practitioners when needed, with costs largely covered through venue donations and sponsorships rather than direct funding.

 

Dr. Vaidya presented the Project Health Mela, explaining how it was developed in 2001 to address healthcare inequalities in ethnic minorities by bringing together various health services in a friendly community setting. The event typically includes a breakfast meeting with healthcare providers, health checks, informational stalls, and fun activities for families, with services provided in local languages to ensure accessibility. The program has expanded from Preston to multiple locations including Cumbria, Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, London, and even international settings like India and Libya, with plans for further expansion to Bangladesh and other countries.

 

The Health Mela event follows a Laboratory Anywhere Model, offering comprehensive health services including lab tests, lifestyle counseling, and complementary sessions like hair massage and tai chi. The event is designed as a family event that includes entertainment for both children and adults, with results being analyzed and shared through presentations at international congress meetings and journal publications. There is shift toward managing long-term disorders like diabetes and cardiovascular illnesses through prevention and holistic approaches including yoga and alternative therapies, noting the valuable opportunity for medical students and nursing students to volunteer.

 

They told us about health mela events, explaining that they typically attract 1,500-2,000 people in larger venues like Preston and 300-500 in smaller venues, with events running from 10am to 3pm on a single day. The events include health assessments with blood tests conducted by trained staff and NHS hospital personnel, with proper documentation and referral processes to GPs for any abnormal results. These events are largely run on volunteer basis with minimal costs, supported by partners including NHS, local councils, universities, and community organizations, and explained the expansion to Bangladesh where medical students have organized similar events.

For more information see their website: www.nfhw.org.uk

 

Suresh formally thanked Dr. Gupta and Dr. Vaidya.

 

Sargeant at Arms:  Rocco Colangelo was SAA today and just asked for Happy Bucks

 

 

There being no further business for the good of Rotary, Danny closed the meeting.