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Move for Health Minister's Walk - Bhutan

Country

Bhutan

Region

Global, Africa, South Asia

Programme Summary

As part of the UNICEF-sponsored Move for Health project, Bhutan's Minister of Health and Education walked over 500 kilometers in a 16-day period in October, 2002 to draw attention to the importance of health and to raise money for Bhutan's Health Trust Fund. In addition to promoting healthy living through exercise, the walk was intended to be a tribute to Bhutan's health workers, who walk daily to remote, hard-to-reach areas to deliver immunisation and other health services across the country. The ultimate aim of the project was to create a trust fund of $25 million to provide free immunisation, essential drugs, and primary health care.

Communication Strategies

The Minister and his team, carrying their own provisions in backpacks, stopped in different districts across the country to remind villagers of the importance of health. They emphasised the importance of utilising health services and healthy living, talking to citizens about the importance of physical activity, sanitation, nutrition, and breast-feeding. Many districts contributed their own resources to support the Trust Fund. In some parts of the journey, students, local officials, and villagers walked with the Minister and his team to show their support.


Individuals, organisations, and nations were invited to follow the progress of the walk, and to provide sponsorship, via the Move for Health Bhutan site. Sponsorship was sought on an hourly or daily basis; each dollar or rupee raised was matched by the government of Bhutan.

Development Issues

Health, Immunisation & Vaccines, Nutrition, Children.

Key Points

The Health Trust Fund was set up to ensure the sustainability of immunisation and primary health care services for Bhutan. According to Fund organisers, investments in the social sector have brought about dramatic declines in infant mortality, under-five mortality, and maternal mortality rates. Universal childhood immunisation has been achieved and maintained since 1990. Bhutan's essential drugs programme has flourished, and leprosy, previously a major public health problem, has been eliminated. The last case of polio reported in the country was in 1986.

Partners

UNICEF, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and the government of Bhutan. The American Himalyan Foundation publicised the walk on its website.

Contact

Lisa Jacobs
GAVI Secretariat
c/o UNICEF
Palais des Nations
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Phone: 41.22.909.50.19 Fax: 41.22.909.59.31
Gavi@unicef.org
GAVI website

UNICEF, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and the government of Bhutan. The American Himalyan Foundation

Source

Press release dated October 10, 2002 posted on the UNICEF site and Move For Health site.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site April 14 2003
Last Updated August 29 2003

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