---------------------------------------------------- Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help other CONSUMERS to be better informed. ---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN to observe a Consumer Health Awareness Fortnight --------------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN will observe a Consumer Health Awareness Fortnight from 7th to 20th April to promote peoples participation in the decision making and monitoring of health issues at the village level. The Awareness fortnight will also highlight the importance of the World Health Organisation (WHO) World Health Day theme "Urban Health Matters" which seeks to focus on issues of Urbanisation & Health.
In the context of the preparation of the Regional Plan 2021 by the Town & Country Planning Department, Goa will see the increase of urbanisation of the villages and its related impacts. The drive for more mega housing projects to cater to the needs of the upper middle class and the rich of the metro cities of India as well as the high spending foreign tourists for second homes and holidays homes in Goa cannot be ignored. The poor infrastructure for sanitation, sewerage, waste management and water treatment is a mismatch as per needs of the local population. GOACAN will work with Consumer Forum volunteers to increase their information levels and analysis of the situation in their respective villages as well as the Taluka and District. GOACAN will also start to focus on the health infrastructure as an important issue in the Government prepared Outline Development Plans (ODP's) and the plans of the District Planning Committees (DPC's) which have the Municipal Councils as important stake holders. The State & Central Government’s continued campaign to promote Goa as an important Tourist Destination has already seen the arrival of over 24 lakh tourists annually while the host population of the State is 14 lakhs. The increased numbers are bound to impact the health of the local residents as well as the tourists with maximum pressure being felt in the coastal villages which will also be a focus of the Awareness Fortnight. During this fortnight GOACAN through the village based Consumer Forums will launch a Know Your Health Centre initiative whereby the consumer forum will understand the functioning of the Primary Health Centre (PHC's) and Sub Health Centre in their respective villages. With the help of the Citizens Charter of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) the forum volunteers will map out the infrastructure, facilities offered, staffing pattern and outreach capability of these centres in the context of the growing needs of the consumers of today. GOACAN will also boost the efforts of Forum volunteers who are working for closer collaboration of the Primary Health Centres and the Village Panchayats. In this regards the Forum volunteers will move proposals at the forthcoming Gram Sabhas for the presentation of an Annual State of the Village Health Report by the Health Officer / Medical officer to the Gram Sabha. The proposal envisages that the factual position of the health conditions of the village are placed before the villagers with reference to sanitation, pollution levels, garbage management, availability & access to toilets and the spread of the vector borne diseases, various infections and various water borne diseases. During the fortnight GOACAN will also focus on the role and functioning of Committees linked to health at the level of the village panchayat such as the DHS supported Health & Sanitation Committee and the PWD promoted Village Water Supply and Sanitation Committee. Consumers are invited to write in with their views / suggestions on Urbanisation & Health to GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao 403 601 or email [email protected] during this fortnight. ---------------------------------------------------------- GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK ---------------------------------------------------------- promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa ---------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601 GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 mail: [email protected] Visit: http://goacan.blogspot.com ---------------------------------------------------------- -- This message comes via the Google Groups "Saligao-Net" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net?hl=en Please post regularly to keep the e-village active! To unsubscribe, reply using "remove me" as the subject.
