Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 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

Congress still confronted by a divided house in Punjab

Congress still confronted by a divided house in Punjab
Party in-charge of the state Harish Chaudhary has reached out to Jakhar but sources say he was unable to pacify him and it is likely that Sonia Gandhi may have to intervene in the state's issues. Sources close to Sunil Jakhar confirmed the meeting on Tuesday evening.

Congress still confronted by a divided house in Punjab

India to allow international flights operations from Dec 15

India to allow international flights operations from Dec 15
Passenger air services were suspended in late March 2020 due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19. While domestic flight services resumed from May 25, 2020, international flight services were only maintained via 'Bubble Agreements'.

India to allow international flights operations from Dec 15

Wedding day shocker: Thief flees with jewellery worth Rs 2cr

Wedding day shocker: Thief flees with jewellery worth Rs 2cr
The euphoria around destination wedding of a Maharashtra-based family took an unexpected and tense turn after a man -- who "introduced himself as a member" of the bride's family -- ran away with jewellery worth Rs 2 crore, from a five-star hotel here, leaving the bride's family shocked on her wedding day (Friday).

Wedding day shocker: Thief flees with jewellery worth Rs 2cr

Kejriwal again questions Centre over Lakhimpur Kheri incident

Kejriwal again questions Centre over Lakhimpur Kheri incident
Had the Supreme Court not intervened, the perpetrators of Lakhmipur Kheri violence would not have even been arrested, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said during the special single-day Assembly session on Friday.

Kejriwal again questions Centre over Lakhimpur Kheri incident

Farmers' gatherings across India marks one year of Samyukt Kisan Morcha agitation

Farmers' gatherings across India marks one year of Samyukt Kisan Morcha agitation
Assemblies, rallies, marches, and chakka jams, etc across various states were held to mark the one-year completion of the farmers' agitation that prompted the government to withdraw the three contentious farm bills.

Farmers' gatherings across India marks one year of Samyukt Kisan Morcha agitation

Amarinder connived with Badals on cable TV business: Sidhu

Amarinder connived with Badals on cable TV business: Sidhu
Fastway Transmissions is the company that came to enjoy monopoly over the cable TV business in the state during the Badal regime, now led by Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal.

Amarinder connived with Badals on cable TV business: Sidhu