Malaria is preventable. Everyone seems to agree with that. Consistent use of mosquito nets, especially in seasons when the malarial parasite breeds most, is a helpful practice that can effectively prevent the spread of malaria. And yet every year millions of people around the world die of this preventable condition. Likewise, diseases like typhoid, dengue, TB, cholera, all of which are considered preventable and treatable even in primary health centers (PHCs) with basic medication, are often the cause of deaths in many communities, both rural and urban. Public health awareness and education is critical and every member of the community has a right and a responsibility to be kept informed about these health issues. Public health is a human rights issue and needs to be addressed from the rights-perspective.
Education about health and preventive measures should be led by people and civil society, and not just by health experts. Billboards and brochures are good, but they do not directly speak to those who need the information the most. Billboards are often put up in places most inappropriate and in languages most difficult to decipher. The information provided in radios and televisions too are often alien to listeners, because they do not represent the day to day experience of those for whom it is being developed. What a waste of resources it become when so much work is been done to produce those important messages for the purpose of saving lives.
Nagas should develop their own appropriate approaches to create mass awareness about basic health education and preventive measures around these preventable and treatable diseases. Health department must creatively and diligently provide leadership in making public health as a critical public issue. They must work in close collaboration with departments of Public Health Engineering (PHE), Municipality (waste management) and other departments whose activities directly contribute towards public health. Government should form local health committees comprising of all stakeholders including women, youth and children, who will be empowered with knowledge and proper information, and use local media and influential platforms such as churches and schools to disseminate preventive information to all people, especially those most vulnerable.
Public health cannot remain a concern of Health department alone. When so many are dying of preventable diseases due to ignorance, improper diagnoses and treatment or lack of access to health care, people and public cannot remain silent. There is a need for a concerted effort from all sections of the society to expose these realities, confront the failed health systems and bring to light the grave health situations to public domain. Civil society and leaders in the communities must take the lead, after all, isn’t protecting, promoting and enhancing health a basic human right?
