Chandigarh, Dec 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the success story of Kurukshetra’s efforts in malaria prevention with the entire country during his monthly “Mann ki Baat” radio broadcast on Sunday, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said.
Saini listened to the broadcast with party workers in Panchkula’s Sector 9.
“The prime minister praised Kurukshetra for presenting a model to tackle malaria,” he said.
He later said the health department ran special campaigns to check mosquito breeding, spread awareness through radio and other media, and successfully reduced malaria cases.
He also commended “Mann ki Baat” as an inspiring programme.
It provides valuable insights into various fields, including sports, agriculture, health and employment, he said.
During his “Mann ki Baat” broadcast, Modi said the country’s two major achievements — both in the health sector — were catching the world’s attention.
The first accomplishment is the fight against malaria, Modi said and added he was pleased to say that the country had collectively and resolutely confronted the challenge.
Modi cited a World Health Organization (WHO) report to highlight an 80 per cent reduction in the number of malaria cases and related deaths in India between 2015 and 2023. “This is no mean achievement.” The prime minister said the most heartening aspect of the achievement was that it had been made possible through the participation of every citizen.
In the tea gardens of Jorhat in Assam, malaria used to be a major concern until four years ago but people’s participation in a movement against the mosquito-borne disease had curbed its prevalence, he added.
They made use of technology and social media to spread awareness, he said.
Modi then said that Haryana’s Kurukshetra district presented a very good model for controlling malaria and added public participation for monitoring was quite a success.
Messages emphasising prevention of mosquito breeding were sent through street plays and radio broadcasts, Modi said and added that it was only through such efforts across the country that India had been able to expedite the fight against malaria.
Citing another success on the health front, the prime minister referred to a study in the medical journal Lancet that said the chances of starting cancer treatment on time had increased in India.
He said the Ayushman Bharat Yojana had played a big role in getting cancer patients timely treatment.
In a related development, Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan lauded Modi’s “Mann ki Baat” programme and asserted that it continued to provide new direction and inspiration to the nation with each episode.
The programme motivates people from all walks of life to excel in their respective fields and inspires a collective commitment to progress, he said.
“Mann ki Baat” fosters a renewed sense of purpose and enthusiasm, particularly among youngsters, who eagerly await its broadcast, he added.
Kalyan was addressing a gathering after listening to the broadcast in Karnal’s Jani village. PTI SUN SZM SZM
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