Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
India

India joins global movement to raise awareness on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Feb, 2022 12:30 PM
  • India joins global movement to raise awareness on Neglected Tropical Diseases

New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) Observing the 3rd World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day as a key moment to highlight the global community's commitment to ending these, India joined close to 40 other nations to illuminate iconic landmarks to raise awareness.

This year, India lit up the New Delhi Railway Station in purple and orange hues to mark the occasion.

At a virtual event organised by National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) to observe World NTD Day, Joint Secretary, Health, Dr Harmeet Singh Grewal, said that the aim of illuminating the iconic New Delhi Railway Station was to generate awareness about NTDs in the visiting public and showcase progress and achievements towards their elimination.

Emphasising on creating a people's movement to eliminate the NTDs, he said: "There is a need for a behavioural change. We must fight it together and engage school children, social workers, activists etc. to create a mass movement to elimination NTDs."

NTDs are caused mostly by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins which affect over 1.7 billion people globally. They are called 'neglected' because they are almost absent from the global health agenda of the developed countries and are associated with stigma and social exclusion.

Lauding India's efforts towards eliminating these diseases, NCVBDC Director, Dr Tanu Jain, said: "Most people don't know about NTDs because these diseases effect the poor and marginalised communities. We need to elevate messaging about NTDs and highlight the positive, ambitious, and winnable NTD goals by focusing on the NTD elimination target. This would happen through close coordination between all stakeholders."

In Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Karnataka too, iconic landmarks and monuments were illuminated as part of their commitment to eliminate NTDs. In Jharkhand, the renowned Rajendra Circle in Ranchi and Clock Tower in Godda district were lit up in pink and orange colours. The office building of the Department of Health and Family Welfare in Bengaluru was also illuminated to mark the occasion.

MORE India ARTICLES

Sacrilege bid at Golden Temple will be probed thoroughly: Channi

Sacrilege bid at Golden Temple will be probed thoroughly: Channi
Talking to the media here after paying obeisance at Sri Darbar Sahib, Channi, who accompanied by Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, described it as the most heinous act, which has not only hurt religious sentiments but also tormented all, and should be condemned with the harshest possible words by one and all.

Sacrilege bid at Golden Temple will be probed thoroughly: Channi

Delhi Customs seizes outbound undeclared diamonds worth Rs 1.56 cr

Delhi Customs seizes outbound undeclared diamonds worth Rs 1.56 cr
"When the officials examined a consignment declared as plastic hot fix with a value of Rs 5,000, they got suspicious. The said consignment was then opened. On examination, a packet containing pouches of cut and polished diamonds was found inside it. These diamonds were concealed very ingeniously in the packets of 'plastic hot fix'," said an official.

Delhi Customs seizes outbound undeclared diamonds worth Rs 1.56 cr

Amarinder announces party's alliance with BJP

Amarinder announces party's alliance with BJP
Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) chief Amarinder Singh on Friday announced his party's alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2022 Assembly polls in Punjab.

Amarinder announces party's alliance with BJP

Man marries sister to get benefits of govt scheme

Man marries sister to get benefits of govt scheme
In a bizarre incident, a man married his own sister at a mass marriage event to obtain money from the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivaah Yojana scheme, under which weddings are conducted by the social welfare department.

Man marries sister to get benefits of govt scheme

SFJ referendum campaign barely visible in the West

SFJ referendum campaign barely visible in the West
It is simply not news – although it might be if it were banned in the West, not just in India. For Canada, Britain and the US, freedom of speech is the rule and there's been no effort to silence SFJ. Although this irritates Indian authorities, Western politicians do not pay any price for tolerating speech which voters hardly notice, Milewski said.

SFJ referendum campaign barely visible in the West

Punjab to set up Chair to study Bible

Punjab to set up Chair to study Bible
Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday made a slew of historical announcements for the Christian community, including setting up of a Chair at university level for the study of the Bible. In his address here, the Chief Minister said that Christians would be given due representation in the state government boards.

Punjab to set up Chair to study Bible