First-ever gym opened for women by mosque in Hyderabad

Hyderabad's fire-ever women gymnasium has been opened by a mosque at Rajendranagar. The mosque set up the wellness centre to reduce the incidence of non-communicable diseases in women living in slum areas.

Besides health counsellors and a physician, the mosque also hired a professional woman trainer to train women in two sessions daily. The gym at Masjid-e-Mustafa located in Wadi-e-Mahmood in Rajendranagar is funded by a US-based NGO 'SEED' and is co-ordinated by a city-based NGO.

A survey followed by the gym which screened women between 25 and 55 years revealed that 52 per cent women in the slum areas of Hyderabad are at risk of the cardio-metabolic syndrome and 30 per cent of women with polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD).

It was found out in the survey that women with a high risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are with mainly with body mass index (BMI) greater than 25. An NCD programme has been initiated at the mosque which consists of risk assessment, counselling on diet and exercise and screening for renal, liver and eye issues.