Hundreds of umbrellas on Monday created a unique spectacle on the streets of the city as politicians, cine stars and sportspersons joined hands to create awareness about the scourge of Hepatitis-B with experts urging people to get vaccinated against the dreaded disease.
Scores of students of the SOA University, which organised the event under the banner of Centre for Health Awareness (CHA), carried umbrellas and placards saying protection is available against Hepatitis-B.
Members of Scouts and Guides also participated in the event, which was organised to mark the birth anniversary of Prof Baruch Samuel Blumberg who won the Nobel Prize for discovering the Hepatitis-B virus. The day was observed as the World Hepatitis Day.
Cine actors Archita and Sabyasachi, MlAs Priyadarshi Mishra, Dibyashankar Mishra, Balabhadra Majhi and Anam Nayak and former MlA and social worker Dillip Srichandan, who were present, praised the initiative to spread awareness about the disease. Ganesh Jena, who conquered Mt Everest, was also present.
Among others, Medical Director of IMS and Sum Hospital Prof DK Roy, Medical Superintendent of Sum Hospital Dr PK Mohanty and Associate Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Dr Manoj Sahu attended the rally raising the significance of the event.