With an aim to spread awareness regarding health problems in the interior and remote areas, district health department has roped in folk artistes to spread the word.
Besides fitness tips, the main focus is to acquaint rural people of the heath schemes and facilities being provided by
the state and central governments.
A group of theatre artistes from Lok Kala Manch in Faridkot staged street plays and puppetry shows at Handaya, Sanghera, Wajidke, Ugoke and Dhilwan village recently.
Civil surgeon Dr Baldev Raj said though state government had launched several other field surveys and awareness campaigns but street plays sensitised people in a better manner regarding diseases such as HIV/AIDS, cancer and tuberculosis.
“Folk media is more effective than holding campaigns or seminars. People are more receptive to the message artistes send across,” he said.
He said street plays mainly focused on child health and family planning, pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PNDT), female foeticide, drug addiction and legal angles associated with them.