TURA: A team of specialist doctors, including dentist, mental health, Ayush doctors and other medical officers from South West Garo Hills conducted free check-up and screening for patients during the day-long Health Mela 2020 organised by the office of the District Medical & Health Officer under the aegis of National AYUSH Mission in collaboration with National Health Mission at Zikzak, South West Garo Hills on Thursday.
Hundreds of locals including schoolchildren and patients participated in the event which was based on the theme ‘prevention is the key to good health’.
Other activities and events like inter-school quiz competition and drawing as well as painting competition was organised a day prior to the event.
Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ramkumar S said that health and education being fundamentals of the society, immunisation and family planning is the next target. A healthy society contributes towards progress and development of the nations, he added.
He further added that institutional deliveries should be encouraged in order to reduce infant mortality rate.
Moreover, couples in villages should be counseled for family planning as multiple pregnancy and child births risk the health of the mother and make it difficult for children to be cared for, he said.
Congratulating the medical staff of the district for its achievement in PMMVY registration, MHIS enrolment, institutional deliveries and 90 per cent achievement in immunisation, he announced that the district is number one in all parameters.
Stating that health is not a personal but a social matter as the infection of one person in the village has chances of infecting the communities in and around, he stressed on the importance of immunisation for illnesses like malaria and Japanese Encephalitis (JE).
Among the other dignitaries present included Zikzak BDO Mary Liza Marak, who encouraged the district to cooperate in order to achieve 100 per cent immunisation while maintaining that “prevention is better than cure”.
The District Malaria Officer, Tura, B Ch Marak announced that special mosquito nets would be sent by the Government of India by next month and that people should use them as soon as they are distributed.
