As many as 89 runners comprising athletes from Nagaland Athletics Association, school students and doctors competed in the ‘Doctors’ Day Run’ that was organized to mark Doctors’ Day from Clock Tower junction in Dimapur at 5:30 am on Sunday.
The event witnessed participants as young as nine years old to those in their mid-forties taking part in the run.
A ‘Doctors’ Walk’ was also organized at 5 pm from the same spot, which culminated with a programme at Rotary Club in Midland.
To mark the day, a half-marathon (21.1 km) and five and 10 km runs were jointly organized by General Practitioners’ Association (GPA) of Dimapur, Dimapur branch of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Dimapur Doctors’ Forum and Nagaland Athletics Association.
This is for the first time that doctors of the State had come together to hold such an event that was open for the public.
The chief objective of event was to encourage health for all and promote healthy living.
Later in the evening, around 30 medical practitioners assembled at Clock Tower junction from where they proceeded to Rotary Club in Midland where a programme was held to commemorate the occasion.
The programme was chaired by GPA president Dr Z Mozhui, who also delivered the welcome address.
Other highlights of the programme included a talk on the life and work of Dr B C Roy by dermatologist of Zion Hospital. Dr M Ovung, speeches by Dr BL Agarwal of Apollo Diagnostics, Dimapur, exhortation by Dr T Belho and speech by special invitee Dimapur chief medical officer Dr Vikato Kinimi.
Cultural programmes were also organized on the occasion.
July 1 is observed as Doctors’ Day commemorating the birth and death anniversary of India’s most renowned physician Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.
The Union Government marked the day in 1991 to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of doctors towards the society.