Shaguftha, class IX student, is keen to educate her friends and neighbours on vector-borne diseases.
She knows how to maintain personal hygiene and how to keep her surroundings clean. “Simple steps like washing your hands with soap before and after eating, taking bath twice a day, wearing clean clothes, clearing the stagnated water and using mosquito nets and repellents help people protect themselves from diseases like malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases,” she said.
The importance of eating nutritious food and maintaining good oral hygiene was highlighted by Ch. Mounica, another student. “Food items should be neatly covered with lids.
It is important to promote the concept of maintaining oral hygiene by brushing our teeth twice a day,” she said.
Arifa, class VII student, spoke about the consequences of open defection. She said “we should take all the necessary measures to avoid open defection. And if this problem can be addressed well, we can check diseases like cholera.”
These were some of the views shared by the students of Government Queen Mary’s Girls High School on World Health Day. With the theme of the year being vector-borne diseases and the slogan being ‘small bite: big threat’, the young girls were willing to talk about the subject at length.
Enhancing their knowledge further, the local chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA), has conducted an awareness programme on the school campus.
As part of the World Health Day, representatives of IMA -- past national vice-president of IMA L.V. Raghav Rao, president K.V. Ram Prasad, vice-president Vijaya Sekhar, secretary P.A. Ramani and member U.S.N. Murthy listed out dos and don’ts to be followed to control vector-borne diseases and distributed pamphlets among the staff and students.
