January 16, 2024. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – In November and December 2023, the WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, conducted a series of health education sessions on immunization and healthy lifestyles in schools in Turkmenistan. Over the course of two months, 20 WHO-trained family doctors and immunologists conducted classes on infectious diseases with more than 1,800 students in 30 secondary schools in all regions of Turkmenistan, carrying out preventive measures and instilling healthy lifestyle habits in them.
These activities were organized within the framework of the WHO-EU Central Asia COVID-19 Crisis Response (CACCR) Project and held in Ashgabat, Balkanabat, Turkmenbashi, Dashoguz, Koneurgench, Mary, Bayramaly, Turkmenabat and Kerki cities of Turkmenistan.
Kids across all Turkmenistan learned about important health topics from proper hand washing to more complex topics of immune system, vaccination and prevention of infectious diseases. During these sessions, schoolchildren were also introduced to the concept of the digital game called Immune Patrol. Developed by WHO for secondary school students, this educational game is intended to strengthen knowledge about immune system and a healthy lifestyle.
Schoolchildren who took part in the interactive sessions received memorable gifts from WHO.
These additional educational sessions in schools were designed to increase awareness of the children about the infectious diseases and the scope of its impact on health, as well as to help kids in taking preventive measures and sharing their healthy lifestyle attitude and confidence in the efficacy and safety of vaccines with their families and friends.
In 2024, WHO will continue to engage the youth of Turkmenistan in health and well-being activities as part of the #Youth4Health, a special initiative of the WHO Regional Director for Europe. ///WHO Turkmenistan