Page 241 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

5. Maternal and child health care services and family planning
Maternal and child health care and family planning
also fall under the elements of primary health care.
Family planning is essential for a happy family.
Similarly, maternal and child health care services are
very important to keep mother and child healthy. To
attain a healthy and happy life, family planning is
quaite essential. Family planning helps to determine
the size of the family, education, birth spacing, number
of children, proper care etc. Fig: 3

6. Control and prevention of endemic and contagious diseases

The diseases which are common or prevalent in a particular region are called endemic
diseases. Diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, malaria, kala-azar, encephalitis, typhoid, etc. are
some examples of endemic diseases. These disease may spread through out country if
not prevented and controlled on time. The diseases which are transmitted easily from
the sick person to another through close contact are called contagious diseases common
cold, conjunctivitis, measles, mumps, etc. are some examples of contagious diseases. The
prevention and control of these diseases is very important to keep people healthy.

7. Vaccination against infectious diseases
Diseases like polio, tuberculosis, whooping
cough, diphtheria, measles, etc. occur in
thousands of children in Nepal every year.
These diseases can be prevented/ controlled
through scheduled immunization or
vaccination. The government of Nepal is Fig: 4
providing free vaccination against infections
diseases like polio, tuberculosis, whooping cough, measles, diphtheria, etc. Vaccination
or immunization against infections diseases is another element of primary health care.

8. Health education
Health education gives us idea to live a healthy life. It is one of the
most important elements of primary health care. Health education
helps to generate awareness among people about the causative agent
, modes of transmission, major symptoms and preventive measures
of various diseases. Health education helps to change or modify
knowledge, attitude, behaviour and practice of people regarding
various diseases and their control. Therefore health education is
considered as one of the elements of primary health care. Fig: 5

GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9 241