Students turn health ambassadors in Agency

Parvathipuram (Vizianagaram): The students of tribal welfare schools, who are staying in hostels, are playing key role in creating awareness among their parents on various health-related issues. They will teach their parents to keep away from superstitions and blind believes.

The Agency area in Vizianagaram district is known for prevalence of unscientific health practices and many people losing their lives due to minor ailments in tribal habitations believing the superstitions.

Many a times the information on incidence of deaths never comes out as the inhabitants of tribal villages believe that it was their fate and curse of some bad omen.

Though the number of tribal children coming to schools increased and the awareness campaigns are taken up at school levels to overcome superstitions, the cultural lag in the tribal society is left unaddressed.

Believing that the small steps will go a long way in addressing the social evils like superstition in healthcare, the ITDA administration has made an effort to send a strong message in the form of ‘greeting card’ printed in Telugu to society through the students while they are returning to their homes on winter and summer holidays.

The greeting titled “an appeal to the parents” has information on all health and hygiene practices need to be adopted at household level to protect the health of family members. Messages contains: use mosquito nets to prevent malaria, avoid water stagnation in home premises, wash hands before meals, don’t rely on quacks for remedy, never consume rotten meat, for any health need, visit local health institute.

The children were instructed to read the information aloud in front of their parents and other people in their vicinity every day.  Seeing their children reading the message to family members has evoked a proud feeling for parents and motivated them to practice the instructions. So far on three occasions about 40,000 cards were sent to tribal families.

As a result, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of OP rate (out patients) in the health institutions of tribal area. The communicable diseases have shown downward trend. The student turnout to health institutions for minor ailments increased, which otherwise would have reported to the traditional quacks. ''Every tribal village has its own set of beliefs and practices about healthcare.

Efforts are being made to reach out to all of them by all possible means like Kalajata, skits, media and incentives to health staff. Health awareness cards also one among such efforts introduced in the tribal area to protect the health of vulnerable tribals” said Dr G Lakshmisha, PO ITDA Parvathipuram.