Hyderabad Mosque Sets Up First Of Its Kind Gym For Women

A Hyderabad-based mosque at Rajendranagar has opened a wellness centre with a gymnasium, specifically catering to the health needs of women. Now women residing in the nearby slum areas can avail this facility following all the necessary safety measures for the pandemic. This is the first time in the state that a mosque has opened a gym for women with an expert trainer.

The exclusive gym for women at Masjid-e-Mustafa is located in Wadi-e-Mahmood, a slum area in Rajendranagar mandal. The facility is funded by US-based NGO named Support for Education and Economic Development (SEED).

The gym has been set up with the aim to reduce the incidence of non-communicable diseases in women living in the slum areas. To help these women exercise, a professional woman trainer has been hired and she will conduct two sessions daily. According to a survey done in the city, 52 percent women are at risk of cardiometabolic syndrome and about 30 percent women suffer from the polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD), TOI reported.

“The key components of the NCD programme at the mosque clinic-cum-gym are risk assessment, counselling on diet and exercise and screening for renal, liver and eye issues. Trained and professional counsellors are part of the clinic,” said HHF managing trustee Mujtaba Hasan Askari. The city women also have diabetes, hypertension, thyroid and obesity among other health problems, the survey data reveals.

It has also health counsellors and a physician to play a larger role and help women deal with personal issues especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A city-based NGO Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) is coordinating with the mosque committee in running the wellness centre. Last year, the foundation collaborated with the mosque and opened a community healthcare centre to help women and children in the slums.

While many gym centres are still concentrating on online training sessions, few in the city and in other states have now slowly opened up doors with extra care on health and hygiene because of the current situation.

Feature Image Credit: TOI