The divisional administration has sought help from ‘Art of Living Foundation’, an NGO, to de-stress doctors and healthcare workers fighting COVID19 pandemic.
An official said the AOL Foundation headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will hold “wellness workshops” for the doctors and the healthcare workers in several districts this week.
The workshops to be held by the AOL Foundation that has presence in 160 countries, will focus on breathing related exercises to bring down level of anxiety among COVID warriors.
At a recent meeting chaired by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, the Deputy Commissioners were asked “to explore possibilities of conducting such workshops in their districts in consultation with the AOL Foundation.”
As per minutes of the meeting, a representative of AOL Foundation was also presented. Along with this initiative, all other NGOs working in Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in the Valley have also been appealed for generating awareness for preventing spread of COVID19, Pole told Greater Kashmir.
The AOL Foundation has already been engaged by Maharashtra government for imparting “breathing related exercises to thousands of frontline workers in order to bring down their level of anxiety,” officials said.
Vandana Daftaria, Kashmir Coordinator for AOL Foundation said the wellness workshops “have been effective in Maharashtra, the worst affected state due to COVID19.”
Daftaria, who is also a faculty trainer, said that as part of this initiative the first workshop will be held in Budgam.
“I am coordinating with the chief medical officers of various districts where we intend to organise these workshops,” Daftaria said.
He said the Divisional Commissioner was very cooperative and helped them in their work. “This is a joint initiative of the administration and our Foundation to give boost to the health and immunity of the frontline warriors including doctors and medical staff,” Daftaria said, adding the workshops will be a free of cost initiative.
“The breathing exercises we teach improve the respiratory system and help to calm the mind. These exercises have earlier been recommended by leading hospitals such as AIIMS and NIMHANS,” Daftaria said.
She said initially the workshops will be held for doctors and healthcare workers “but will be gradually held for common people as well.”