People practise yoga at a park. Telegraph picture

Patna, Aug. 23: Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) has decided to take the yoga route to treat the minds of those who treat thousands of patients on a regular basis.

To ensure better efficiency from doctors, teachers and young medicos, the PMCH administration has taken initiatives to tie up with a national yoga institute in Delhi to organise regular yoga camps on the college campus.

Senior PMCH officials said the health institution has sent an application to Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), an autonomous organisation supported by department of Ayush, ministry of health and family welfare, Union government, to send a team of experts for organising regular yoga camps at the college.

PMCH principal Dr N.P. Yadav told The Telegraph: “It will be a full-fledged fitness and stress management programme. We have written to the yoga institute requesting them to organise camps here. The course will be organised under the basic Foundation Course in ‘Yoga Sciences for Medical Graduates and Professionals’. We are now waiting for the institution to respond to our request. This move is aimed at making doctors, teachers and junior doctors, who are under tremendous work pressure because of huge rush of patients, more efficient.”

Yadav, a firm believer in alternative form of medicine, said camps would be organised for a fortnight every two months. “This will benefit about 145 faculty members and 600 junior doctors of the institution. They will learn yoga for their own benefits and can also recommend what they learn to the patients coming here. We can later extend the programme to people suffering from chronic diseases,” Yadav said.

Another senior administrative official at the hospital said: “Everyone can see physical benefits of yoga and its practice can also give psychological benefits such as stress reduction and a sense of well-being and spiritual benefits. If the medical professionals learn this, it will immensely benefit them as well as their patients.” Many junior doctors hailed the college authorities’ initiative and said this was a “welcome move”.

“It is good to know the top college functionaries are now recognising the need to start fitness programmes like this one. Many organisations and institutions are seeing the benefits of yoga and understanding that relaxed workers are healthier and more creative. If our college, too, is sponsoring such an initiative, we will be happy to be part of it,” said an intern at the health facility.

The college administration, meanwhile, maintained that the camps would be organised in such a way so that the functioning of the hospital and classes are not affected.

“The doctors and teachers will be participating in the camp in different shifts so that teaching and hospital functioning are not affected. Our aim is to ensure that they get rid of lifestyle related health and mental problems and deliver services in a better way. But to serve the patients and to teach and learn best medical practices are of prime importance,” Yadav added.