You can soon have a caller tune featuring the voice of your favourite Bollywood actor giving away a health tip. It is an initiative by WHO to spread awareness on non communicable diseases. Unokali Assumi reports
You must have came across Bollywood songs, filmy dialogues and some funny punchlines as caller tunes. Don’t get surprised if you call your friend and hear the voice of your favourite actor giving you a health tip. ‘Donate your caller tune for a cause’ is the new campaign launched by WHO to promote health awareness in India. The campaign was conceptualised and created by World Health Organisation, Country office of India and its creative teams, supported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and was launched at the Punjab Grill, Select City Walk, Saket. Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh and John Abraham among others have lent their voice to create simple effective health messages.
You can hear Amitabh Bachchan talking about controlling blood pressure. John Abraham giving health tips on how to avoid obesity and Jaya Bachchan asking you to take precautions against breast cancer. Speaking at the launch, Dr Nata Menabde, WHO representative to India, said, “Almost everybody in India is using cell phones and what better way to reach out to the masses than creative messages by Bollywood actors, who will encourage people to lead a healthy life.”
Also present at the event, Anshu Prakash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, stated, “Non-communicable diseases constitute almost 53 per cent of deaths in India. Cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and strokes are the biggest culprits but these diseases are curable if detected at an early stage. So it is important to spread awareness. Since the largest percentage of Indian population is youth, WHO has come up with this wonderful idea of using the voice of youth icons to spread the message of prevention of non communicable diseases.”