Empowering local communities to make lifestyle changes: is the Health Mela a potential solution?

Background: Health Melas are community-led public health events held in the North West of England that provide health information and free health checks. This descriptive observational study evaluates whether Health Melas are able to identify undiagnosed cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in hard-to-reach communities and encourage individuals to make lifestyle changes.

Methods: Attendees ≥18 years at three separate Health Melas in 2016-2017 were invited to participate in screening and counselling for CVD risk factors as part of a Health MOT.

Peer-supported learning during 'Health Mela'.

Background: The Lancashire Gujarat Health Users Forum has organised several successful 'Health Mela' events in Preston, where medical students actively volunteered in health-promotion activities. The participating students enjoyed these events, but we were keen to assess whether students derived any benefit from it in developing their clinical skills.

Methods: A focus group of 12 medical students with varied experience was set up following one such event and a semi-structured interview was conducted.

Microbiological effectiveness and cost of disinfecting water by boiling in semi-urban India.

Despite shortcomings, boiling is the most common means of treating water at home and the benchmark against which emerging point-of-use water treatment approaches are measured. In a 5-month study, we assessed the microbiological effectiveness and cost of the practice among 218 self-reported boilers relying on unprotected water supplies. Boiling was associated with a 99% reduction in geometric mean fecal coliforms (FCs; P < 0.

Medical staffing. Exclusion zones.

The UK has a lower ratio of doctors to population than most other developed countries. The government's pledge to increase the number of doctors by 9,500 by 2004 will represent only a marginal increase. Reliance on doctors from other parts of Europe, as envisaged in the NHS plan, is not realistic.