IMPHAL, December 11: A one-day Regional Workshop on awareness on the Central health schemes like JSSK/JSY, Immunization, Malaria and HIV/AIDS was organized by the Directorate of Field Publicity, (Nagaland & Manipur Region), Govt of India, Kohima at the Hotel Imphal Banquet hall, here today .
Addressing the inaugural programme, Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Lokeshwar pointed out that people`s participation is very essential for effective implementation of the welfare measures taken up by the government for the masses.
He said people`s participation implies the active involvement in development of the rural people, particularly disadvantage groups. The MLA speaker expressed the hope that the workshop will help a lot in increasing the awareness and facilitation of the common people in Manipur and Nagaland particularly in the remote hill areas of these two states with regard to welfare schemes of the government in health sector.
He added that the initiative will create a lasting proactive participation of the common people to developmental schemes and in creating a new generation of informed citizens who understands the full spectrum of financial, social and technical challenges for improving health-care services for the poor.
In his speech, MLA Janghemlung Panmei called for better co-ordination among policy makers, implementing agencies and beneficiaries. Terming DFP as a bridge between government and the people, he exhorted the participants to reach out to the people so that people can benefit from welfare schemes of the government.
In his speech, Dr Engam Pame, Director, DFP, Shillong, said that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, has initiated a new media strategy called Special Publicity Campaign on Health- Awareness to encourage the people to live healthy. The Department of Field Publicity, basically engaged in interpersonal communication with the common man at the grassroots level, has stepped in to fill-in the gaps in the information needs of the people. The main objective of the workshop, he said, is to educate the field functionaries of DFP about details of the campaign, to have meaningful interactions between the resource persons of the Health Department and field functionaries so that effective communication strategies can be devised to create better awareness about the specified schemes among the target population.
In the technical session, Mr. Devash Deval lAS, share exhaustively about his expertise and experience on Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram/Janani Suraksha Yojanas and Immunization. Dr. A. lbochouba, deliberated in detail on Malaria and its prevention and Dr. Shailesh Kumar Chourasia, lAS, spoke on the present scenario of HI VI AIDS in Manipur.
The function was also attended by Autonomous District Council Members of Manipur, representatives of prominent NGOs, Stake holders and the Media.