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77
Health Education and Propaganda.
The value of health education and propaganda of a suitable
kind cannot be over-estimated. Posters of an educational nature
are distributed throughout the Borough regularly during the year
and talks, accompanied in many cases by a film, are given from
time to time at the two Municipal Centres.
Health education should be continuous and not spasmodic
in character; one must remember that all the work of a Public
Health Department is educational in nature, and the efficient
discharge of the routine duties of the department in order to
remedy existing hygienic evils is indeed the soundest and best
form of health education. As examples of the health education
which is constantly being practised may be mentioned the instruction
and advice given by the Medical Officers at the Welfare
Centres, by the Health Visitors in the course of their routine visits,
by the Tuberculosis Officer and the Nurse at the Tuberculosis
Dispensary, and in the homes, and by the Sanitary Inspectors.
Much quiet health education is thus being disseminated throughout
the borough and is much more likely to have a real health value than
the intermittent use of some stunt. Real and lasting good lies in
the instruction and example of those, who really believe in the
doctrine of healthy living, hard though it may be under certain
circumstances.
As an adjunct to health education, and the knowledge of
facilities offered by the Department staff, pamphlets and posters
are a useful accessory.
Pamphlets and posters are in constant use by the Department.
Sites for posters are now in use on the Public Conveniences
and Open Spaces.
National Health Campaign.—The Borough Council cooperated
in the National Health Campaign, organised by the
Ministry of Health and the Board of Education with the assistance
of the Central Council for Health Education.
The campaign was designed for six months as follows:—
(1) October.—A campaign to encourage the use of the Health
Services.