World Health Day Celebrations

The Department of Community Medicine, PMCH, Patna is committed to all-round development of medical students through different modes of education and training and their active participation, as well as to massive community interaction for healthcare awareness and peripheral service. The department conducts various programmes and events from February to April in each year. Events from 2005 to 2016 were conducted under the banner of Health for All Society. The 7th of April (World Health Days Click for brief info) marks the culmination of these events, when the following converge to recognize the importance of the WHD theme and to discuss how to play their respective parts in carrying the movement forward:

Themes and Events

2018: Universal Health Coverage - Everyone, Everywhere

• Symposium on 'Universal Health Coverage - progress and challenges'
• Poster Competition

2017: Depression - Let's Talk

• PSM Quiz 2017 (with inputs from IAPSM national committee)
• Symposium and Film shows (Click to access via YouTube: 1 and 2)

2016: Prevent, Treat and Beat Diabetes

• PSM Quiz 2016
• Essay Competition
• On-the-spot Slogan writing
• Nukkad Nataks
• Model and Poster Competition on 'Prevent, Treat and Beat Diabetes'
• CME on "Prevent, Treat and Beat Diabetes" in collaboration with World Health Organization Bihar

2015: From Farm to Plate - Make Food Safe

• PSM Quiz 2015
• Essay Competition on 'Food Safety'
• On-the-spot Slogan writing
• Nukkad Natak on Iodine Deficiency Disorders and Voluntary Blood Donation
• Model and Poster Competition on 'Food Safety'
• CME on "From Farm to Plate - Make Food Safe"

2014: Small Bite, Big Threat

• PSM Quiz 2014 for the first time, separately for Undergraduates, Nursing staff and Cleaners
• Poster Competition on 'Small Creatures, Big Threats'
• Symposium on 'Small Bite, Big Threats - Towards Prevention and Control of Vector Borne Diseases'

2013: Healthy Heart Beat, Healthy Blood Pressure

• Essay Competition
• PSM Quiz 2013
• Short Essay Writing on 'Community Motivation for Hypertension Awareness' [Winning Entry by Obaida Zea ('11)]
• Poster Competition on 'Hypertension'
• Symposium on 'Hypertension - Prevention is Better than Cure' and Yoga Demonstration

2012: Good Health Adds Life to Years

• Essay Competition
• PSM Quiz 2012
• Symposium on 'Good Health adds Life to Years'

2011: Antimicrobial Resistance - No Action Today, No Cure Tomorrow

• Essay Competition
• PSM Quiz 2011
• Symposium on 'Antimicrobial Resistance', featuring lectures from multiple departments.

2010: Urbanization and Health - 1000 Cities, 1000 Lives

• Essay competition
• Nukkad Natak on HIV-AIDS and Maternal Mortality
• PSM Quiz 2010
• Symposium on the topic 'Urban Health - a Public Health Challenge'
• A film show on 'Slums and the City- An appeal for Action!'
• Immunization camp

2009: Save Lives - Make Hospitals Safe in Emergencies

• Essay competition on the topic 'Health Facilities in Emergency'
• PSM Quiz 2009
• Poster Presentation on "Biomedical waste management in PMCH"
• Symposium with Presentations on...

1. Muskan 2009 - The Implementation of UIP in Kankarbagh Dispensary (Dr Rajeev Kumar, Intern)
2. JBSY - The Implementation of JSY at PMCH (Dr Bhawna Tiwari, Intern)
3. Health Facilities in Emergency - Reduce Risks, Protect Health Facilities, Save Lives (Dr Ranjeet K Sinha, Assistant Professor)

2008: Protecting Health from Adverse Effects of Climate Change

These events are also recorded - in the section INDIA - on the World Health Organization's website on the page: http://www.who.int/world-health-day/previous/2008/activities/events/en/index.html (External Link)

• Essay competition on the topic 'Protecting Health From Climate Change' [Winning entry by Tarun Kumar, '04 batch: Click here]
• PSM Quiz 2008
• Symposium on the topic 'Protecting Health From Climate Change'
• A film show on 'Climate Change - Act now!'

2007: International Health Security - Invest in Health, Build a Safer Future

• Essay competition on the topic 'Invest in Health - Build a safer future',
• PSM Quiz 2007
• Symposium on the topic 'Tuberculosis control - A reason to invest'
• Symposium on 'RNTCP'

2006: Working Together for Health

• Essay Competition on the topic 'Medicine - Past and Present'
• Seminar on 'Avian Influenza' in an event by IAPSM-Bihar.

2005: Make Every Mother and Child Count

• Symposium on 'Non UIP Vaccines'

1. Symposiums at Platinum Jubilee Auditorium, PMCH

2018

With Mr Mangal Pandey, health minister of Bihar as the chief guest, World Health Day symposium 2018 was organised on the theme Universal Health Coverage, wherein discussions between various stakeholders took place in order to develop healthcare delivery to the masses in a way that it reaches the last man in the queue without compromise in quality.

2014

Mr Deepak Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bihar was the chief guest. Principal of PMCH Dr Amar Kant Jha Amar, Superintendent Dr Lakhindra Prasad, Director of RMRI Patna Dr Pradip Das, WHO Team Leader Dr Madhup Bajpai, and personnel from the State Malaria Office and other agencies were present. The event witnessed a huge gathering of faculty, and postgraduate and undergraduate students.

The following presentations were made

• Introducing the theme "Small Bite - Big Threats" - Dr Arun Kumar from WHO
• Current Scenario of Vector Borne Diseases in India - Dr Pradip Das
• Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) - Dr Amar Kant Jha Amar (Principal of PMCH)
• Joining Hands to Combat the VBD Problem in Bihar - Dr Prof. Rashmi Singh (HOD of Community Medicine, PMCH)
• Community Mobilization for VBD Prevention - State Malaria Office

Posters prepared by undergraduate students were displayed in the hall. Winners of various events of the Health for All Society's annual competitions, were given prizes. Dr Nivedita proposed the vote of thanks.

2011

A multi-departmental symposium was conducted on 07 April 2011 to celebrate world health day with one of the most radical problems of today - resistance of pathogens to antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs. Resistant organisms are able to withstand attack by these so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist and spread to others. AMR is the consequence of the use, particularly misuse, of anti-microbial medicines and developes when a microbe mutates or acquires a resistance gene.

The standards of the symposium were comparable with any state-level conference with an attendance crossing the maximum capacity of the RSB Platinum Jubilee Auditorium. Health Minister of Bihar Mr Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Principal Secretary Mr Amarjeet Sinha, Principal of PMCH Dr NP Yadav, Superintendent Dr OP Choudhary, HOD of PSM Dr Rashmi Singh, President HFAS Dr Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, Guest Speakers and Dignitaries from the WHO and UNICEF were present at the occasion.

2008

The symposium conducted on the occasion of World Health Day 2008, was well attended by students & teachers of the Patna Medical College. Prof Dr Rashmi Singh (HOD Community Medicine) welcomed the Chief Guest and other dignitaries. Dr R.K.P.Singh, (Principal of PMCH), Dr Basant Singh (President IMA) and Dr Arun Kumar Thakur (Secretary IMA Bihar State Chapter) addressed the gathering on effects of Climate change.

Students and interns participated actively. Students of 2005 batch, Anupama Singh, Aparajita, Manoranjan Sharma, Vivek Singh and Khushboo made their PowerPoint presentations covering different aspects on the theme of the World Health Day. This was followed by a Film Show on 'Climate Change' produced by Dr Ranjeet Kumar Sinha, Assistant Professor in Community Medicine.

Padmashree Dr CP Thakur, MP & Ex Union Minister for Health, inaugurated the function and addressed as Chief Guest. Dr Vidya Sagar, Associate Professor & President of the Health for All Society delivered the vote of thanks.

The event found place in the newspapers of April 7 & 8.

Above: Students presenting their talks on various aspects of "protecting health from climate change". Below: Print media coverage

2. Poster Presentation (competitive and noncompetitive)

2018

2009

The Poster Competition was held on 4 April as a part of World Health Day 2009 Celebrations. It was based on the topic "A Review of Biomedical Waste Management Practices in PMCH". The judges included Principal Dr. DD Gupta, Superintendent Dr OP Choudhary and Head of Microbiology Dr Shankar Prakash, supported by Head of Community Medicine Dr Rashmi Singh, Chief Coordinator Dr Madhumita, President HFA Dr Rana NK Singh, Vice President Dr Ranjeet K Sinha and faculty members from various departments of PMCH. 9 teams participated in the competition.

3. Annual PSM Quiz

Quizzing has always been an effective way to teach and learn. Keeping up the spirit, the Health for All Society organizes a quiz every year to test the knowledge and understanding of Medical Students about various aspects of Community Medicine. The quizmasters were Dr Rashmi Singh in 2007, Dr Ranjeet Kumar Sinha (2008 - 2011), Dr Ajay Krishna (2012), Dr Rajesh Ranjan Sinha (2013-14), Dr Madhumita Mukherjee (2015) and Dr Nivedita Sinha (2016 onwards).

The first PSM QUIZ 2007 was conducted at the Lecture theatre no. 1 in two rounds, the first being written and the second (final) being the classical and exciting oral. 34 students participated in the same, out of which 8 were shortlisted for the second round. They were divided into 4 teams. The winners were Team D [Shambhawi ('03) & Sumit ('04)], followed by the first runners up Team C [Vivekanand Paul ('03) & Neha ('04)]. The PSM QUIZ 2008 was conducted on the 15th of March in the Lecture theatre 1, PMCH. The quiz was conducted in a single written round with questions being displayed on a screen. Interesting Audio-Visuals were included in the quiz. The first and second positions were bagged by Bhavana Tiwari ('04), Shalini ('04) and the third position was shared by Vijendra Nath Jha ('03) and Kumar Aditya ('04).

In the year 2009, the PSM quiz was conducted on 4th April with more than 100 participants. Prizes were awarded to the top scorers on the world health day. The quiz in 2014 featured, for the first time, the participation of (with separate questions for) Undergraduates, Nursing Staff and Cleaners.

Above: The first PSM Quiz in 2007. Below: PSM Quiz 2008.

Below: PSM Quiz 2009

Nukkad natak in Health Fair (Swasthya mela) 2010: The lady in white plays an ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) who is educating the 'mother' seated beside her. An enjoyable plot and a succinct Q&A method thereafter delivered the message effectively.