RONO HILLS, Apr 06: The Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) in collaboration with directorate of health services (DHS), Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) and Plan International (India Chapter), observed the World Health Day at the university campus on Thursday.
The programme was attended by nearly 200 students, scholars, teaching and non-teaching staff of the university along with students from Government Higher Secondary School, members of The Birds and Bees Talk Project (Plan India) and APSACS.
RGU vice chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha conveyed his message on the importance of prioritising health for all. He said that health is ignored by many, till it is conspicuous by absence.
“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. Imagine having tons of dreams and all the potentialities to achieve everything we have dreamt of, but still we could not achieve it, just because of being unhealthy,” he said.
Health is an important factor to all, irrespective of caste, class, region, religion, gender, ethnicity and other socio-economic characteristics. It has been said that ‘Life without good health is like an army without soldiers and education without knowledge’. Health is important to live life to the fullest and hence most worthy to be anon-negotiable commitment for all, the VC added.
World Health Day, observed every year on April7, marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 and each year focuses on a specific public health concern.
The theme for this year, ‘Health for All’ glorifies and corresponds with the democratic notion that all humans are equal. World Health Day is celebrated annually to inform-educate, communicate and equip the masses about the healthy lifestyle and its intrinsic and instrumental significance, Kushwaha said.
It is also an opportunity to motivate key stakeholders, necessarily including the academia, for action to tackle the health challenges of today and tomorrow. COVID-19 pandemic has been a blazing reminder to humanity that health is not an ‘option’ but a ‘compulsion’ to be kept on top priority of all development discourses, he pointed out.
This day is not only an opportunity to enlighten the masses, especially younger generations, about the significance of health but also make them aware about the various ways, so as to enable them to stay healthy, he added.
The programme was graced by director of health services Dr M Lego, Prof P K Panigrahi, RGU Registrar Dr N T Rikam amongo thers.
Dr Komal Goswami, Chief of Party Plan India, gave a brief introduction about Plan India and its dedicated works toward human rights, focussing specifically on the rights of girl child.
She also informed about the project ‘The Birds and Bees Talk’ (TBBT), that emphasises on the health of young adolescents, especially girls. The project TBBT has partnered with APSACS and signed MoU to spread awareness about health and wellbeing through Red Ribbon Club (RRC) and AEP.
One of the main objectives of the project is to formulate a Red Ribbon Club (RRC) in every university to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS/STI/sexuality and other related issues.
Dr Lego in his lively presentation on challenges and recommendations for maintaining good health highlighted that environment and lifestyle as the important determinants when it comes to health.
He recommended a few measures that can be implemented for good health including focus on good mental health and further emphasised that stress and pain are direct by-products of livelihood in our era.
A letter of intent was also signed between TBBT and APSACS during the event.
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