Dubai: An Indian community group in the UAE comprising alumni members of colleges in Kerala on Wednesday announced a year-long wellness campaign in memory of a member who died of cancer.
All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum (AKCAF) is the apex body consisting of alumni from various colleges in Kerala, based in the UAE. AKCAF, in association with Aster DM Healthcare, is organising a year-long campaign aimed at improving the well-being of AKCAF members and their families, the group announced.
The campaign will be inaugurated on February 19, which has been designated as AKCAF Wellness Day, the group said. “This year’s campaign is a tribute to our dear member Ahmed Ashraf, who passed away recently,” said Anoop Anil Devan, chief coordinator, AKCAF Events. “He was one of our active members. He had been at the forefront of volunteering services for several years. We lost him to cancer. His loss triggered us to launch the campaign which encourages regular health check-ups and staying well mentally and physically.”
“It is all the more important to raise awareness and take action about mental and physical wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim is to encourage our members and families and thereby the community to be aware of and take action to ensure their overall wellness.”
The inauguration ceremony — on Zoom — will see the presence of Health Minister of Kerala, K.K. Shailaja, founder chairman and managing director, Aster DM Healthcare — Dr Azad Moopen, and social worker Ashraf Thamarassery. “AKCAF as well as Aster have always been offering invaluable services to the expatriate community in the UAE. With this yearlong campaign, we aim to take care of overall wellness including physical fitness and psychological support,” Anoop said.
Health check-ups with special payment packages, webinars on health and wellness topics and medical camps would be part of the campaign.
Apart from the partnership with Aster doctors, Anoop said AKCAF has also tied up with several doctors among their tens of thousands of members in the UAE. “We will also be launching physical activities and sporting events also,” he added.
