By IANS,
New Delhi: The Indian government’s premier agency for science communication, Vigyan Prasar, is planning to launch a nation-wide programme to educate women on health related issues.
“This is the first time when Vigyan Prasar is going to launch a programme for educating women about their health in different parts of the country,” Anuj Sinha, director of Vigyan Prasar, told IANS on the sidelines of a media event here Monday.
He said the programme will be started in Delhi soon on a pilot basis.
Emphasising the need of communication, Sinha said, “Scientists generally believe that research is most important. But it is time to think that communication is as important as research.”
“Vigyan Prasar will develop communication strategies and programme to reach out to the target women,” said Kinkini Das Gupta Mishra, who will be heading the new programme.
“By the end of six months from now, we plan to be ready with a proper line of action and communication materials to spread the programme at a bigger level,” she added.
Vigyan Prasar in association with Sudinalay, an NGO, and the Institute of Gender Justice had begun a week-long consultative programme on the International Women’s Day (March 8) to educate women living in the slums in different parts of the capital about health related issues.
“During the programme we found that increasing case of violence has made health a secondary issue for many women in the capital,” said Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhary, founder of Sudinalay.
“We found that most of the women have misconceptions about diseases such as depression, obesity and cervical cancer,” she added.
To mark the end of week, a programme “celebrating the joy of empowerment” will be organised Tuesday with President Pratibha Patil as the chief guest.
Thousands of grass root level women workers are expected to take part in the event.