Patna, Feb. 12: More than 400 people turned up at a free health check-up camp organised by IAS Officers’ Wives’ Association at the IAS Bhavan here today.

Thirty-one stalls were put up at the camp, which included check-up kiosks dealing with ayurveda, unani, homoeopathy, cardiology, paediatrics, ENT, neurology and gynaecology among others.

Secretary of the association Mridula Prakash said the motive to organise the camp was to provide free healthcare facilities to slum dwellers, who do not have access to proper treatment and are ignorant about health issues that often plague them.

“When the association was started with 30 women (all wives of IAS officers) in 1980, it was only meant for social gatherings. The members of the association wanted to make a community to socialise with their companions. However, after the IAS Bhavan came into being in 2000, the motive of the association shifted from social gatherings to charitable work,” said Prakash.

She added: “We started organising the camp from 2004. Earlier, we were into other charitable work like providing scholarships to poor and differently abled children.”

Visitors comprising old and young were happy with the services provided at the stalls.

“I had some problem in my left eye but I never went for a test. I thought it was not necessary but when I heard about the free check-up camp, I thought it was good to get my eyes checked there,” said Ram Babu, 55, a visitor.