The Cine and Television Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) in
association with Cancer Patients’ Aid Association organized a health camp for
its members at the CINTAA office, Andheri (West). Actor Vivek Oberoi, veteran
actor and CINTAA President, Om Puri, CINTAA General Secretary Sushant Singh, Jt
Secretary Amit Behl, Vice President Manoj Joshi among the others graced the
event.
General health, ENT, Diabetes, gynaecology and dental
check-ups were successfully carried out besides Pap Smear Test (Female),
routine blood test among others.
“Lawyers, soldiers, sportsmen and actors – these are four
kinds of people who need to do routine checkups. As actors, we have erratic schedules and
often drive ourselves to exhaustion and tiredness. Only when things get too
complicated, do we actually realize we have a medical problem. For us, it is
not just physical exhaustion, it is mental exhaustion, as much,” said Amit
Behl.
Avered Sushant Singh, “As a proactive organization,
member welfare is always important and this is one initiative where we actors
actually find time to keep abreast of our health conditions, as well as meet
each other”.
Vivek Oberoi said, “It is a great step taken by CINTAA
for its members. We have seen corporates carrying out such programs, but this
is the first time that a film body has initiated such an activity for its
members, and I am glad it is a great success. Health camps are essential and I
laud and appreciate CINTAA’s step”.
Om Puri, President CINTAA, added, “We actors need our
health to be in perfect shape and in our busy schedules, we tend to miss it
most of the times. Actors are professionals and the security of their future
lies in their own hands. No one provides pension, or health benefits to an
actor in his youth or in his old age. It is his own responsibility. So we need
to routine heath checkups and secure it now itself. These camps are free and a
normal health check-up may come for Rs 10,000 or above. Here, it is at no
cost”.
CINTAA has also tied up with Seven Hills Hospital, Mira
Road and pre-booked two free beds for the treatment of any health issues by its
members for a year round with highly discounted medical charges. Efforts are on
to tie-up with more such hospitals.
“There are many actors in our industry who are NOT highly
paid and this is mainly for them. This is our first step towards keeping our
members healthy and we also look forward towards other Mumbai-based hospitals
to come forward and help us in our effort providing us with beds and treatments
at a subsidised rate”, said Manoj Joshi, Vice President, CINTAA.
Adding to it, Sushant Singh, General Secretary, CINTAA,
said, “AIl I would say, this check-up is not just for our members. It is as
essential for the health of CINTAA, for we would like to be an organization
that is abuzz with activities for our member welfare.”
Looking forward, Oberoi offered to lend his support
towards tie-ups with government hospitals as well as welfare of senior citizen
members of CINTAA. Kudos to that!