Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh)- Haryana’s Health Department on Tuesday launched a statewide awareness campaign on World Health Day, with Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra calling on citizens to reject misinformation and embrace science-based healthcare practices.
Aligning with this year’s global theme “Together for Health. Stand with Science,” Dr. Misra emphasised that combating health misinformation was now as critical as combating disease itself.
“A wrong piece of health information shared on a mobile phone can undo months of public health work on the ground,” she said. “We must build a society where people trust science, question myths, and make informed decisions about their health.”
Massive Ground-Level Outreach Across the State
The campaign saw significant on-ground activity across reporting districts. A total of 99 health camps were organised statewide, screening 4,251 persons — including 370 children (0–14 years), 1,469 adult males, 1,564 adult females, and 848 elderly persons above 60 years of age. Awareness activities were wide-ranging, with 106 health talks, seminars, workshops and public lectures held across the state, and 40 educational institutions actively participating in the campaign. Additionally, yoga sessions were organised across districts, complemented by sustained outreach through social media platforms.
The health camps placed a sharp focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with early detection emerging as a key priority. Among the 4,251 persons screened, 231 were found to have hypertension, and 165 were detected with diabetes. A significant 326 persons showed raised BMI or waist circumference, indicating obesity-related risk, while 75 persons were found to have Chronic Respiratory Diseases. Three persons were suspected of having pre-cancerous lesions or cancer, and 64 NCD/MCH care companion counselling sessions were conducted to support patients and families.
District-wise, Kaithal emerged as the most active district with 28 health camps, screening 921 persons and detecting 40 cases of hypertension and 51 cases of diabetes. Rohtak organised 8 camps screening 170 persons, Faridabad held 3 camps covering 169 persons, and Yamunanagar conducted 9 camps reaching 376 people — all reporting robust participation and meaningful detection outcomes.
Beyond health camps, districts organised a wide range of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to take the message directly to the people. Hoardings, awareness drives at bus stands and railway stations, social media campaigns, and community outreach by ASHA workers and frontline health staff were conducted across all participating districts. Several districts also reported actively involving youth organisations in the campaign, reinforcing the message that health awareness is a shared responsibility across generations.
A key focus of this year’s campaign was the One Health approach — the principle that human health is directly linked to the health of animals, plants, and the environment around us. Officials said that with zoonotic diseases and climate-linked health risks on the rise, Haryana is integrating environmental hygiene and animal health awareness into its broader public health programmes, recognising that sustainable health outcomes require action across sectors.
Reaffirming the state’s commitment to “Swasth Haryana, Swasth Bharat,” Dr. Misra said that meaningful progress in public health was only possible through collective effort — by communities, institutions, and the government working in partnership, with science guiding every step.
