EPI launches awareness drive: Minister underscores need for promoting hygiene practices

LAHORE: Underlining the need for promoting hygiene practices among the people, Punjab caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir said that by following hygiene practices, a number of diseases can be prevented.

Speaking at the concluding session of awareness campaign about water and food borne ailments, the minister said that by merely adopting hand washing as a routine, people could protect themselves from diseases like Cholera, Diarrhea, Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and many others.

The week long awareness drive had been launched as Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).

With the courtesy of World Health Organization (WHO), more than two thousand Cholera and hygiene kits were distributed to as many families in the 17 high risk and underdeveloped union councils of the provincial capital.

Dr. Jamal Nasir stated that a total of 134 awareness session had been conducted in the week-long campaign. He said that the timing of the campaign was very importance and our focus had been on educating mothers. Educating a mother is like educating a whole generation, the minister observed.

He expressed gratitude for WHO for providing technical and financial support for the campaign. The WHO had provided 2000 Cholera Hygiene kits for families of the marginalized and underserved communities of the city. The kits included water storage tools, Aqua Tabs, soaps, ORS packs and other material.

Besides this, the WHO provided 200,000 awareness flyers, banners and display material as well refreshments for 134 community sessions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023