Highlights
- Campaign ambassador Mr Bachchan called to create a healthier & safer nation
- Dr Guleria shared the three key pillars in the fight against COVID-19
- Distancing, hand washing, face mask is crucial against COVID: Dr Guleria
New Delhi: “In the seventh year, the Banega Swasth India campaign will focus on three pillars to make the world safe and healthy – Health, Hygiene and Sanitation, and Environment. We have brought a new mantra – ’Swachh Se Swasth’ (Clean environment for a healthy society). I urge each one of you, stay clean and healthy”, said actor and Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan while setting the agenda for the Season 7 of NDTV-Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign. Like every year, Mr Bachchan lent his support to the campaign and participated in the 12-hour #SwasthyaMantra telethon where he discussed various aspects of the campaign with industry experts.
NDTV-Dettol Banega Swachh India campaign was initiated in 2014 with a focus on swachhta (cleanliness) and sanitation. In 2019, after leading a very successful Swachhta (Cleanliness) initiative, the campaign moved the conversation from Swachh to Swasth (Health) because only a clean India can become a healthy India. Over the years, the campaign has talked about various issues including making India open defecation free (ODF), the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) programmes, waste management, recycling, menstrual hygiene, plight of manual scavengers, nutrition, and mother and child health.
In season 7, we go back to basics. Explaining the same, Mr Bachchan said,
In the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has become imperative to revisit the core values of the campaign – stay clean and maintain good hygiene. Health is currently the top focus; we all need to work together to create a healthier and safer nation.
To discuss the agenda of the campaign, the #SwasthyaMantra telethon was joined by Laxman Narasimhan, Chief Executive Officer, Reckitt Benckiser (RB); Gaurav Jain, Senior VP, South Asia (Health), RB; Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS; Prasoon Joshi, CEO, McCann World Group India, Lyricist, Screenwriter, and poet.
Talking about the renewed need for cleanliness which leads to better health amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Narasimhan said the need is really large because currently billions of people are fighting an unseen and unknown enemy. He added,
At this point in time, without a vaccine, without a treatment, the only thing you have is hand hygiene, face mask and ensuring safe distance. As we humans collide with the environment, we are seeing even more possibility of viruses transferring from the natural world to humans.
Mr Narasimhan noted that the level of sensitivity has gone up. People are more sensitised and educated about health and hygiene but still, we need to drive information that makes behave differently and changes their perspective. He emphasised on the three pillars of the campaign and said,
We are deeply passionate about protecting, healing and nurturing in this relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world. Hygiene, health and environment all are coming together which is important to have a wholesome and fulfilling life.
Also Read: 12-Hour #SwasthyaMantra Telethon: Amitabh Bachchan Salutes Frontline Workers For Their Work
At the telethon, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria also emphasised the link between health and hygiene and shared three broad pillars in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. He said,
The Banega Swasth India programme highlights the fact that Swachh (cleanliness) and Swasth (health) are interlinked. If you are hygienic, you will also be healto why. Shat if don’t have a vaccine? We have a vaccine which is called non-pharmacological measures and they are three broad pillars – physical distancing, wearing a face mask when in public place and hand washing. If we have these three pillars with us, we can win this battle against COVID.
Dr Guleria informed that countries like Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea that have adopted the three pillars have managed to defeat COVID-19. Whereas, countries like the United States that have huge economies and health expenditures are struggling with COVID-19. Dr Guleria suggested not relying on the vaccine alone as we don’t know when a vaccine against COVID-19 will be available and how effective it will be. He added,
This virus is a clever virus, it will change itself, it will mutate itself. The efficacy of the vaccine will not be there. Therefore, these three pillars become more and more important. A vaccine will help but it is not a magic bullet. We ourselves have to become part of this fight against COVID-19. If we maintain cleanliness, we will be able to lead a healthy life and win against COVID.
Prasoon Joshi who has penned the Banega Swasth India campaign anthem that highlights the three pillars of the campaign and the three pillars highlighted by Dr Guleria also joined the telethon. Talking about the link between the health and the environment, Mr Joshi said,
Mental health issues, emotional health issues that have emerged today have made us realise the true meaning of swasthaya (health). And when we realise the true meaning of health, then we expand it beyond ourselves and swachhta (cleanliness) and environment also become a part of it. People have also realised that their relationship with nature and environment needs to be evaluated.
Mr Joshi resonated with Mr Narasimhan and said that today people are becoming more receptive because they are vulnerable. He also said that people are identifying the heroes in the fight against COVID-19 and they are medical and essential service providers. He added,
This is the right time to disseminate this message (anthem) as we are more ready than ever to take actions.
At the #SwasthyaMantra telethon, Gaurav Jain, Senior VP, South Asia (Health), RB, discussed how RB that works with the focus on health and hygiene continued its operations even during the lockdown and provided essentials like soaps and sanitisers. Mr Jain said,
When the lockdown happened, none of us had imagined the degree of impact on people. Initially, the demand for soaps and sanitisers increased significantly. The supply chain was broken due to lockdown. For us, at that point in time, it was the national cause. We had to get our own buses and the permits to run our buses to transport material and workers. We had to arrange for food for thousands of our employees. In April we were able to meet 30 per cent of the demand, whereas, now we are meeting 90 per cent of the demand.
According to Mr Gaurav, the feeling of being able to do for society and people at large is what motivated the team to work in these unprecedented times.
Also Read: Reel Life Villain Turned Real Life Hero: Sonu Sood Gets Recognition For His Work During COVID-19
NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.
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