Page 219 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

This act has also made the provision of punishment to those producers or distributors
whose activities adversely affect the health of the consumers. They are either sent to the
jail for 14 years or are fined Rs 1.5 million. The punishment may also vary on the basis the
intensity of crime.

Importance of consumer health education

The consumers consume different types of goods and services from the market to meet
their needs. These days, the producers and distributors sell low quality goods, adulterated
food materials and even harmful substances to earn maximum profit. The consumption of
low quality substances adversely affect the health of the consumers. In order to prevent
the various harmful effects that may be resulted due to consumption of low quality goods,
consumers health education is very important. The consumers themselves should be
conscious about their right to preserve their health. The importance of consumer health
education can be described as follows:

a. Helps to choose goods and services in a proper way
Consumer Health Education encourages the consumers to select the goods and services
in a proper way. The consumption of low quality goods from the market adversely affects
the consumers’ health. So, when they know the effect of low quality goods, they will
try to get the alternative for such goods. Thus, consumer health education motivates the
consumers to choose quality goods and services.

b. Helps to protect the health of the consumers
Consumer Health Education develops awareness among the people about the adverse
effects of using low quality goods, adulterated food, coloured food, misbranded medicines,
etc. When they see the effects of low quality substances, they can be united and raise
the voice against the producers and distributors who are involved in selling goods of
low quality. This helps to protect the health of consumers. In this way, consumers health
education is essential for the protection of consumer health.

c. Helps to make the consumers aware of their rights and responsibilities
It is the responsibility of civil society, to protect the health of the consumers. But in our
country, due to lack of the civils’ concerns, the health of the people is being adversely
affected. While purchasing goods and services, we directly rely on the description given
by the shopkeeper or the distributors. Actually, we should see the price, manufactured
date, expiry date, ingredients, direction of use, etc. to obtain good result. Even while
taking medical services, we must be aware about the qualification, experience and ways
how the health worker deals with the patient. Therefore, the knowledge about consumer
health must be disseminated among the people to make them aware about their rights
and responsibilities. Besides these, the consumers must be informed about the following
eight consumers rights.
1. Right to basic needs
2. Right to safety

GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9 219