Students share lessons learnt on diseases

A RARE integration of an education and health programme initiated to pass information on life-threatening diseases has proved a success at the Gembogl Station in upper Chimbu.
Gembogl sub-district disease control officer Willie Gene Mathew, with support from head teachers and events coordinators in five primary schools in the Mitnande area, combined to pass messages on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and family planning.
They organised a quiz, drama, debates, marches, posters, essays and poem competitions for students from Gembogl, Womatne, Bongugl, Goro and Denglagu at the Gembogl station last Thursday.
All the activities were centred around messages on HIV/AIDS, TB and family planning.
They were aimed at educating children, parents and the public.
Each school’s performances were judged by teachers.
Denglagu Primary School came first with 1398 points to win a trophy and  K1000.
Goro Primary School took the second prize,  a trophy and K700, Bongugl picked up third prize of K500 and a trophy, and Gembogl and Womatne Primary schools received K200 each in consolation prizes.
Kutne Gorua, a Grade 8 studentof Bongugl Primary School, wrote an essay about how he faced life with his sister after their parents died of HIV in 2006 and 2007. It brought tears to those in attendance.
Chimbu provincial disease controller Steven Show commended the schools for initiating to combine health and education.