Heatwave Conditions: Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya To Chair Meeting On Public Health Preparedness

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a high-level meeting on Tuesday (June 20), to review public health preparedness to deal with heatwave conditions prevailing in parts of the country, official sources said. Niti Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl and India Meteorological Department (IMD) experts will join the meeting that will be held at 11:30 am, they said.

Over the past few days, deaths due to heat stroke have been reported from different parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha.

Also Read: Over 60 Crore People In India Would Be Exposed To Dangerous Heat In Business-As-Usual Scenario: Study

Meanwhile, the union minister also be inaugurating a G20 co-branded event on Tuesday, to highlight the health and well-being needs of 1.8 billion adolescents and youth worldwide, said a press release by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Union Health Ministry, in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (PMNCH), Geneva, is organising the event titled ‘Health of Youth-Wealth of Nation’, on June 20, here in the national capital.

This global gathering aims to highlight the health and well-being needs of 1.8 billion adolescents and youth worldwide, and to foster increased attention and investment by G20 nations in the health of adolescents and youth, the Ministry stated.

Dr. Mandaviya will be inaugurating the event and delivering the keynote address.

Other than him, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, SP Singh Baghel, and Dr Bharti Pravin Pawar will also be present at the event.

They will share their insights on meeting the challenges faced by the youth and the efforts being made by the government to improve the health and well-being of youth and the future strategies required to meet their challenges.

The Health Minister of South Africa, Dr Mathume Joseph ‘Joe’ Phaahla will also address the inaugural session adding to the diverse perspectives and expertise present among the audience, the Ministry stated.

The world is home to 1.8 billion individuals aged 10-24, with India having the largest youth population. These young individuals represent a valuable asset for any nation and investing in their health and well-being plays a critical role in achieving economic growth and development targets. Recognising the tremendous demographic dividend of the youth population, the G20 Co-branded event will emphasise the need to invest in the health and well-being of adolescents and youth. With the belief in the power of youth and the vision to ensure physical, mental, and social well-being for all, the event aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision and commitment to harnessing India’s youth potential for economic growth and development, the Ministry stated.

One of the objectives of the G20 co-branded event is to empower youth as change-makers in society, as well as foster dialogue and engagement among policymakers, government officials, experts, partner agencies, and youth icons from G20 nations. Approximately, one-third of the event’s delegates will be young participants from various parts of India and other G20 nations.

Their active involvement will ensure that their concerns regarding health and well-being are heard and that their inputs and demands find a place in future policy formulations and program implementations, the Ministry added.

According to the event, the event will feature two technical sessions focusing on adolescent health and well-being and multi-sectoral partnerships for youth engagement. Additionally, a town-hall session will encourage the participation of young people in policymaking. A Marketplace will also be held to share knowledge, best practices, and innovative policies and programs that have advanced the health and well-being of adolescents and youth in G20 countries.

A key feature of the event is special discussions led by influential figures from the G20 nations, including G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, PMNCH Board Chairperson Helen Clark, and Director from UNFPA Headquarters Dr Julitta Anabanjo.

Also Read: Mercury Rises In Delhi, North India, IMD Issues Heat Wave Alert; Expert Says ‘Stay Hydrated’

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diarrhoea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.