Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has suggested that school kids should be appointed as Swasthya Ambassadors to spread awareness about health
Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Thursday mooted the appointment of school children as “Swasthya ambassadors” to create awareness about health issues.
Children, he said, can play a very important role in creating awareness. They
could become “Swasthya Ambassador” and be thus appointed as champions for creating awareness and checking for mosquito breeding sites in their schools and neighbourhood. He was speaking at a high level meeting to review the preparedness for prevention and control of vector borne diseases (malaria, dengue, and chikungunya) in Delhi today. State health minister Satyendra Jain too attended the meeting.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan was briefed by senior officials on the current situation of malaria and
dengue in Delhi and the action required from the State government, Municipal Corporations, state hospitals, school education department, DHR, Railways and the Containment Board etc. Stressing on the importance of widespread awareness on prevention and control of the vector borne diseases, the Union Health Minister urged all stakeholders to undertake awareness drives through active community participation and cooperation of all stakeholders such as RWAs, shopkeepers’ and traders’ associations.
He suggested that Malaria and Dengue should be made a notifiable disease. Jain assured him that the same would be done immediately. It was also suggested that all
hospitals, including the private ones, should appoint a nodal person for vector borne diseases
Among others that attended the meeting were the Mayors of Delhi, health secretary Preeti Sudan, secretary health research Prof. Balram Bhargava, Chairman, NDMC, Delhi health secretary and other senior officials. Dr Harsh Vardhan urged the government and the Mayors to work towards making hospitals, schools and government buildings
‘Vector-Free’.
He suggested that Malaria and Dengue should be made a notifiable disease. Jain assured him that the same would be done immediately. It was also suggested that all
hospitals, including the private ones, should appoint a nodal person for vector borne diseases to ensure that the Government and private interventions and efforts to prevent/ cure vector borne diseases, are in tandem.
The Union Minister further said that to create awareness and visibility, it will be appropriate that a 2-day mass awareness drive be undertaken where the elected representatives, MPS, MLAs, Corporators, senior officials of MoHFW, state government, Municipal Corporation, NGOs, and other eminent people undertake visits in different part of Delhi and conduct a surveillance visit and check for breeding sites in their buildings (especially the roofs) and their vicinities.
“When all stakeholders will come out on a single day, it will send a very strong message and nudge the public and check for breeding sites at their work space and neighbourhood”, Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated.
