For over more than 15 years, Dr Aelia has been providing holistic healthcare to people in the rural areas in Karnataka, the poor and the needy, through his practical and selfless advice, not just on health issues, but on life as a whole!
By A Staff Writer
Dr S. M. Aelia, 47, was born in Kolkata and then graduated in 1991 from a medical college in Bangalore. Since his childhood, he had immense concern for the poor. When he qua
lified as a doctor, he began to create a holistic way of treating patients. He would spend lot of time talking to them about their background, their profession, their economic condition and their overall living conditions. He went to the root of their problem. He advised them not only on their illness, but also gave them valuable advice on the art of living a healthy and happy life.
Dr Aelia is not someone who can sit back and look at the world going by. He believes in taking an active part in the upliftment of the downtrodden and the poor. So as a doctor, he has been visiting villages and treating the people there as well as advising them on preventive health care.
” Sometimes, I get patients, like this little girl who was so brilliant in her studies. But she was not getting the level of education as she deserved. Her father smoked, so I told him that if he stops smoking and spends that money saved on her education, it would do a world of good for the family. The father quit smoking and thankfully the economic condition of the family is better today,” says Dr Aelia, quoting one of the many instances where he has intervened with his wise words.
For over 15 years, Dr Aelia has been visiting the villages and providing his services to them without charging a penny! Issues close to his heart are anti-smoking, campaigning against alcoholism and drug abuse.
Apart from doing grass roots social work, Dr Aelia was a regular columnist for a leading mainstream paper, Deccan Herald for a very long time, writing on medical issues. He has also authored a booklet titled “Unani Medicine and the Art of Healing”, which was released with the Week magazine years ago. He has also delivered talks on health issues on All India Radio and Doordarshan.
Dr Aelia believes in providing a complete health guide for body, mind and soul while treating patients.
” I have received immense support from my family throughout and have been able to focus on helping the poor, irrespective of caste, community or religion,” says Dr Aelia, who believes that education is the key for empowerment.
For his selfless service, the department of Ayush, department of family welfare, government of Karnataka honoured him with the Gold Medal Award 2012 (Dhanvantri Award). Minister for health and family welfare, government of Karnataka, Arvind Limbavali presented him with this award.
” Youngsters today who complete their studies and get into the careers in any field, should have a kind heart to serve the poor. They should spend some time in their lives understanding the poor and the needy,” advises Dr Aelia.
Dr Aelia can be reached at [email protected] . Ph: 9740181155
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