JMI and UNICEF partner to raise awareness on child health issues

The Anwar Jamal Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre also known as AJK Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia has partnered with UNICEF to conduct a capacity building workshop in order to raise awareness on pneumonia, diarrhoea, anaemia, breastfeeding, and nutrition. The workshop conducted in a single day talked about highlighting and busting the myths related to pneumonia, diarrhoea, anaemia and non-exclusive breastfeeding. The event also focused on prioritizing scientific medical knowledge over folk beliefs along with highlighting the factor in relationships between cosmopolitan and indigenous knowledge. The event was an initiative for understanding right from wrong, science from magic, and truth from myth

The programme was attended by officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Women and Child Development, UNICEF and the representatives from the Civil Society organizations like Save the Children, Clinton Health Access Initiative and YP Foundation. The others who attended included over 40 RJ’s and programming heads from the All India Radio, along with community Radio stations from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Assam, and Private FM stations. Apart from these academic faculties from JMI, Delhi University’s Department of Anthropology and IGNOU and IIMC.

The lack of knowledge of the causes and symptoms of diseases like Pneumonia, Diarrhoea, and anaemia are also caused due to traditional practices and supernatural beliefs apart from socio-cultural-economic reasons. To handle malnutrition and under-immunization awareness about breastfeeding, age-appropriate nutrition, and routine immunization have to be created especially among the marginalized populations.

The group was led by Professor Danish Iqbal from MCRC. The creative which was named “Suno Suno Bhai Suno Suno" drew attention towards the diseases talked about.  As part of the partnership with UNICEF, JMI will be conducting workshops in the future with other departments of the university in order to promote research on the topics and sensitizing the youth about the issue.

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