November 24
The government has chosen to exhibit the Odia film DAMaN at the district and subdivisional levels in light of its inspirational themes and widespread appeal. The Department of Health and Family Welfare has provided specific instructions to Collectors of all districts regarding this.
The State Government established Durgama Anchalare Malaria Nirakarana (DAMaN) in 2016 with a specific focus on 8000 villages in 8 malaria-prone districts of the State, on the orders of Chief Minister Sri Naveen Patnaik.
The organized and devoted efforts of the medical professionals and government representatives on the ground led to extraordinary achievement in the eradication of malaria.
But the implementation procedure was far from simple. Blind faith, social stigma, and a lack of connectivity in isolated communities bordered by hills, forests, and rivers clouded it. The committed medical professionals from the concerned department worked arduously to mobilise the populace and persuade them to adopt the scientifically validated healthy behaviours.
The project to make an Odia film that was released in November 2022 was undertaken by Script Writer Debi Prasad Lenka, Producer Deepandra Samal, Director Vishal Mourya, and Debi Prasad Lenka using this real-world experience as the premise.
The movie, produced in its natural environment, quickly became well-liked and received widespread acclaim from all facets of society. Last Sunday, prominent state government officials, including Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, attended a screening of the movie in the conference room of Lokseba Bhawan. Mahapatra suggested that the movie be presented at various levels.
The government of Health and Family Welfare chose to play the movie at the district/sub-divisional level as a motivating tool for the staff and citizens after receiving positive comments from all sides. “This movie delivers a positive message on the implementation of health initiatives via cooperative efforts of Government and people in hard to reach places,” said department secretary Smt. Shalini Pandit.
She requested that all district collectors set up special screenings of the movie at local theatres or cinemas, either at the district or subdivisional level, depending on what would be most appropriate.
