Better health for HIV+ people
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 30 2013: Fitness trainer RK Viswajit Singh has attained a major breakthrough in keeping HIV positive people healthy by successfully completing a trial at 'Animal Gym', his fitness centre in Imphal.

Three HIV positive people, who are currently undergoing Anti Retroviral Therapy (Art), have seen their CD4 counts increase after joining the regime at the gym for a month.

Manipur is one of the six high HIV prevalence States in the county and according to Manipur Aids Control Society (Macs) the State has over 40,000 people living with HIV.

RK Viswajit, who has already helped a large number of drug addicts in leading a healthy life through his gym, said he would continue with his new mission to make the HIV positive people hale and hearty.

Three days ahead of joining the gym workout on March 25 , the three individuals � Bobby, Rajenlung and Raja from Imphal recorded their CD4 counts from a diagnostics centre as 168, 184 and 876 respectively .

"After joining their daily workout at our gym for one month under strict guidance including dietary norms , their CD4 counts have gone up.

Now Bobby has 425 CD4 counts, Rajenlung (278) and Raja (899)," said Viswajit at a media conference at his gym office yesterday.

"This is one of our achievements in transforming HIV positive people and help them lead a healthy and dignified life.

We will continue with this mission to ensure more and more positive people join us to build a healthy society," Viswajit said.

District medial officer under ADC Chandel Kh Nabakishore Singh, who is also the health advisor of Animal Gym, said regular exercise increases strength and makes the functions of muscle mass and bone more effective.

A Bharat Ratna awardee, Nabakishore said increase of CD4 counts betters their health.

The three HIV positive people expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Viswajit for helping them to a new life.

"For many years we stayed weak and dull.

Now we have entered a new healthy life.

We will continue to do regular exercise at this gym ," said Bobby (39) .

A few weeks back, Viswajit donated a set of multi-gymnasium equipments specially designed by him for blind persons to the State-run Ideal Blind School at Takyelpat here.

Last year, the humanitarian fitness trainer donated gym equipments worth Rs one lakh to Saijwa Jail in Imphal where he also trained the inmates including underground cadres, drug addicts with criminal charges and other hardened criminals and taught them the rudiments of working out with the equipments.

Currently 400 persons are undergoing workout on daily basis at the gym.

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