24th March: World Tuberculosis Day World Tuberculosis Day is observed on 24th March every year. The World Health Organization’s report [www.who.int/campaigns/world-tb-day/world-tb-day-2021] makes us acutely aware that Tuberculosis is one of the world’s deadliest diseases that can lead to death. It also reports that every day, almost 4000 people die from this disease. It observes this day to raise awareness about the health, social, and economic implications of tuberculosis. The theme for 2021 is “The Clock is ticking”. The world is at the end of its rope in terms of interventions to end tuberculosis. This is truer in the context of COVID-19, which has further…

20th March - International Happiness Day International happiness day is celebrated on 20th March Every Year. Would you believe that right now, in PubMed, the number of articles covering happiness is just over 5000, while the number of articles covering depression is over 2,60,000?? Shouldn't something be done about this? This year, the theme of International Happiness Day is on holistic concepts like keeping calm, staying wise, and being kind. 2020 has been hard on all of us, and our health professionals are no exception. With long hours and increased susceptibility to the COVID virus, health professionals have come forward…

16th March - Measles immunization day Measles immunization day is observed on 16th March every year. It is an effort to make people more aware of the disease and the steps they can take to prevent it. As health-care professionals living in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the best way to raise awareness is through technology. Supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) are dependent on resource availability. Overall immunization efforts can be enhanced with effective communication that is evidence-based, reaches grassroots, is interactive, and based on local community support. Interactive support is becoming better with the growth of social media channels…