Shillong, July 25: A fortnight long observation of World Population Day 2016 on the theme Take Responsibility, Make Plans culminated today, the 25th July, 2016 with the State Level Advocacy Meeting on World Population Day 2016 at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong. The day was graced by the presence of the Parliamentary Secretary incharge Agriculture, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, Dr. Celestine Lyngdoh as the Chief Guest. Also present were Secretary, Heath and Family Welfare, Mr. K W Marbaniang, Dr. W Kharkrang, Director of Health Services (MCH&FW), Director of Health Services (MI), Director of Health Services (R) and other senior officers and staff of Health and Family Welfare Department. The programme was organised by the National Health Mission, Meghalaya in collaboration with Directorate of Health Services (MCH & FW), Government of Meghalaya.
World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event, established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987 approximately the date on which the world’s population touched five billion. The focus of the celebration is population stabilisation through protection and youth empowerment, to offer them knowledge about family planning and to ensure easy access to reproductive health services.
Dr. Lyngdoh, in his speech, said that the United Nations and Government of India are spending huge amount of money to educate and empower people especially the youth on the importance of family planning through knowledge and comprehensive health reproduction system. Dr. Lyngdoh informed that out of approximately 7.2 billion citizens across the globe, close to 1 billion are sleeping hungry as food security has been compromised with the increase in population.
With a population growth of 27% in the State as per the 2011 Census, it demands a strong mechanism to sensitize the people on the adverse effects of population explosion in relation to food security, employment, health issues, human rights and others, said Dr. Lyngdoh. Lamenting the fact that use of OCP and family planning methods is still considered a taboo in some parts of the State, Dr. Lyngdoh said that it is high time the department chalk out a friendly and positive approach on how to deal with population explosion. The department needs to make concerted efforts to reach to the targeted population particularly the youth and people of child bearing age through several interventions launched by the Central and State Government, he said. There has been a projection that that by 2030, India will become the most populous country in the world surpassing China, said Dr. Lyngdoh. It is a huge challenge but not possible if we adopt a proactive approach in our effort to control population, he said. Therefore, it is a shared responsibility of each citizen to ensure that schemes and programmes relating to family planning introduced by the government are being implemented in right earnest.
On the occasion, awards were distributed by the Chief Guest to Mylliem C & RD Block and East Khasi Hills for being the Best Performing Block and Best Performing District respectively for their success in encouraging people to adopt family planning methods. The Chief Guest also released a documentary film entitled “Role of ASHA in the Health Care of the Community & About National Health Mission Entitlements”.
