Shillong, March 19: The concluding event on Health Awareness Special Campaign organized by the Directorate of Field Publicity (MMT Region), Govt. of India, Shillong and sponsored by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India was held at the PCI Conference Hall, Lower Lachumiere, Shillong here today on the theme of JSSK, JSY, Immunization, Malaria and HIV /AIDS.
At the inaugural function, Shri K.W. Marbaniang, Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of Meghalaya as the Chief Guest stressed on the importance of the reaching such awareness programmes to the grassroots level, as well as on the active participation of the people. The government in recent years have launched various programmes such as NRHM for the benefit of the people.
There are at present 108 PHCs and 29 CHCs in Meghalaya to meet the health needs of the people. However, there are still gaps in infrastructure which have to be met through the launching of various steps by the government, such as the adoption of the Private Public Participation (PPP) projects in the health sector, he said.
Dr. Haren Doley, Regional Director, Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India as the Guest of Honour, stressed on the importance on implementation of various health awareness programmes in the rural and urban areas by organizations like the Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), such as on the prevention of tobacco use by the youth, etc. Dr. (Mrs) E. Shullai, Joint Director, MCH & FW, Govt. of Meghalaya, chairing the function said that the main aim is to improve maternal and child health in the rural areas by the Health Department . The infant mortality rate has come down from 59 to 52 from the year 2009 in Meghalaya.
The need of the hour is to create health awareness campaigns to reach out to the people who are the direct beneficiaries. She narrated the various health schemes launched both by the Central and State governments to improve the health status of the people, such as JSY, JSSK, etc.
Dr. E. Pamei, Director, DFP (MMT Region), Shillong in his speech said that the success of government awareness programmes depends on people’s participation. The people in the rural areas still do not have access to information due to lack of infrastructure and education. In this regard, the DFP’s main role is to disseminate information on government policies and programmes to the people at their doorsteps, generate awareness and bring about a attitudinal change towards the government’s plans and programmes. The DFP has launched an intensive publicity campaign starting from November 12, 2012 and concluded in February 2013. During this campaign, the DFP has organised 96 programmes and covered more than 173 villages.(SP News)
