Malaria Walk in Polonnaruwa a success

Sarvodaya successfully conducted a walk and seminar in Polonnaruwa town on 13 May 2011 to raise awareness on Malaria and get community involvement to eradicate it from Sri Lanka.

A large number of volunteers of Sarvodaya Movement, officers of the regional anti-malaria office, representatives of other governmental and non-governmental organisations and journalists as well as members of the general public and armed forces actively participated in the walk, contributing to a worthy cause.

Minister of Health of North Central Provincial Council Peshala Jayarathne and Dr. Lalith Chandradasa, Director, Sarvodaya Community Health Unit also took part in the programme, giving encouragement to the participants.

The event made a spectacular scene in otherwise calm Polonnaruwa town with participants distributing leaflets to enlighten the general public and street dramas being shown to convey the message of eradicating malaria. The walk was organised by Sarvodaya Community Health Unit together with the central and provincial Malaria offices.

The walk started at 8:30 a.m. on 13 May at Buddhi Mandapa in Polonnaruwa and proceeded via the Travel Police Roundabout and came to the Batticaloa Road and ended at Polonnaruwa General Hospital. A seminar on the ‘Importance of Community Involvement to eradicate malaria from Sri Lanka’ was held at the Main Hall of Polonnaruwa General Hospital after the completion of the walk.

Dr. Chandradasa, speaking at the seminar, emphasised the need for the community to actively participate in the programmes to protect community health. He further said that such programmes cannot be made successful with the effort of the Government alone, thus pointing out the need for the community to come forward for their own well-being.

The walk was part of a range of activities conducted by Sarvodaya to eradicate malaria which is funded by The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria (GFATM). Sri Lanka has now reached the stage of eradicating malaria, and to achieve this objective, Sarvodaya Community Health Unit conducts various activities to raise awareness, empower communities, increase community involvement and educate the public.

Sarvodaya has also organised walks and other awareness building programs in other malaria-prone areas in the country as well, one of which was held on 20 May in Kilinochchi, with two more to be held on 24 May in Batticaloa and 27 May in Monaragala. A walk to raise awareness on malaria was successfully held on 29 April in Kurunegala with a highly enthusiastic participation from many governmental and non-governmental organisations and the general public.