DHAKA: The World Health Day is being observed in the country Monday as elsewhere across the globe with the slogan of ‘Small bite, big threats’.

Different organisations, including the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inaugurate the Day’s programme from her office through video conference in Bandarban on Monday noon.

The Health Ministry has aggarned the programme to raise the hill people’s awareness about malaria and other vector borne diseases as the three hill tracts districts of Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati were the most malaria prone areas..

Health minister Mohammad Nasim, Health ministry secretary MM Niazuddin, local lawmakers, WHO, NGO representatives, ministry officials, senior health officers of the district attended the programme, said sources concerned.

According to the National Malaria eradication programme over 80 per cent of malaria infected people come from the three hill tract districts.

The World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948.

The theme of this year’s Day is: ‘Vector-borne diseases’.

The theme for observing the day is selected each year to focus a priority area of global public health concern.

This year, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the threat posed by vectors and vector-borne diseases and to stimulate families and communities to take action to protect themselves.

A core element of the campaign will be to provide communities with information.

As vector-borne diseases begin to spread beyond their traditional boundaries, action needs to be expanded beyond the countries where these diseases currently thrive.

The Day provides an opportunity for individuals in every community to get involved in activities that can lead to better health.

BDST: 1329 HRS, APR 07, 2014