Health Promotion                                                                                                  One of the key objectives of the Society is to raise public awareness and increase their knowledge on crucial health and social issues. Themes addressed under these programme cover a wide range of issues such as family planning, nutrition, drug addiction, personal hygiene, thalassaemia and other genetically inherited diseases, pregnancy and responsible parenthood, environmental health and  prevention of smoking.

Health promotion activities have adopted a number of modalities with emphasis on providing access to the beneficiaries with minimum inconvenience.  However, the effectiveness of some modalities gradually looses its relevance with developmental progress. For example, print materials have become less effective with the expansion of radio and television. Public forums also have become less convenient with the changing

life styles and competing commitments. The Society endeavors to sustain the health promotion activities even in the restrictive setting.

Under this programme, the Society publishes a monthly leaflet (Kulunu) and broadcast a weekly radio programme. A wide range of topics have already been addressed in these outlets ranging from personal hygiene to Alpha Thalassaemia. Two modalities were used to extend selected services to the periphery. Initially a mobile health team (designated as Multipurpose Health Trip –MPHT) was fielded to targeted localities. The purpose of the field visit was to organize awareness raising activities at the community level and extend selected medical services. The team comprised of medical doctors, nurses, counselors and health educators. Combination of medical services with awareness raising activities helped to attract more people to various programmes organized on these trips.

MPHT was highly relevant to most communities where no health service outlet is established. Hence, with the increasing number of health posts in the Atoll region, the relevance of the mobile team has diminished gradually. However the effectiveness of these visits could be sustained by increasing the number of specialists joining the team.

Another modality introduced under the health promotion programme is the organization of a community festival (Health Festival) to address continuing and emerging issue such as reproductive health, food and nutrition, smoking, drug addiction, youth and thalassaemia.

The Society organizes a special awareness raising programme for students of secondary schools in Male’. Under these programme students of grade 9 and 10 are given an opportunity to clarify issues that concern them. These sessions which are guided by resource people create an open environment for students to raise sensitive issues about their personal and family life, schooling, reproductive health, and nutrition and carrier prospects.

• Publication of a monthly Leaflet called “Kulunu”


• Broadcasting of the radio program “Kulunu”


• Organization of discussion forums for grade 9 and 10 students of Schools in Male’.


• Organization of community forum to disseminate information, to offer medical Consultation and to provide family planning and counseling services.