As a part of the preparation for the come rainy season and to counter any possible outbreak of diarhheal disease epidemic in the district, Rayagada district administration had planned for massive sensisitisation of the community, particularly the tribal communities in remote interior areas such as Kashipur, Bissamcuttack and Gudari. The strategy for sensitisation is to explain the correlation of unsafe drinking water with diarhheal diseases such as cholera and also that during rainy season water in the natural streams tends to get more contaminated beacuse of mixing of contaminating material such as filth from the nearby villages and feacal matter due to open defeacation. The consumption of this type of water leads to epidemic diarhheal disease' such as cholera.
The district adminstartion has planned massive sensitization on this aspect. The strategy involves pasting thousands of posters bearing pictorgraphical messages regarding Dos and Donts about diarhhea. Jinles are being played on All India Radio and to add to it district administration is liberally using the audio visual medium.
To elucidae this aspect and genesis of epidemic diarhheal disease, in a way the tribal communities can understand, appreciate and internalize, Rayagada district administratin with the support of NRHM has made a short film in the local 'kui' language.
The short film is made from the concept of Dr.Nitin.B.Jawale, IAS Collector and District Magistrate Rayagada and is directed by Sri. Ashok Mishra of All India Radio, Jeypore station. This short film, which has also been uploaded on the district youtube channel, will be shown in all the villages, at all Haat (market) location, in schools and other important public locations such as bus stands and railways stations and PHCs. Sensitisation is the key in not only preventing diarrhea epidemics, but also to manage the situation in case of an outbreak.
Another important aspect is to sensitize people about individual and community sanitation, which includes sensitisation of Gaon Kalyan samitis about their role in overall health management in their village in general and diarrhea & malaria management in particular. CARE is the nodal NGO identified by NRHM to senistise GKS through a network of other NGOs.
