Oral health awareness walkathon, street play mark World Voice Day in Chandigarh

The Speech and Hearing Unit, Department of Otolaryngology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), successfully observed World Voice Day with a series of public awareness initiatives.

Students, staff and faculty united to highlight the importance of vocal health through engaging and informative activities. The events commenced at 6 am from the Rock Garden.

The walkathon and cyclothon events drew enthusiastic participation. The route spanned from the Rock Garden to the serene Sukhna Lake. Participants carried placards and banners bearing powerful slogans on vocal health, amplifying the awareness message.

A key highlight of the event was a street play performed by the students. The skit highlighted the diverse causes, characteristics and management strategies for various voice disorders, ranging from common issues like vocal nodules and puberphonia to more serious conditions like laryngeal cancers.

To further extend the reach of the message, public education pamphlets were distributed to visitors at Sukhna Lake. Speech pathologists were present to provide detailed explanations and answer questions, ensuring the public gained a comprehensive understanding of voice health.

"World Voice Day is a crucial opportunity to educate the community about the significance of vocal hygiene and the impact of voice disorders," said Dr Jaimanti, Professor and Head, Department of ENT.

Dr Banumathy, Additional Professor, and Dr Anurag, Professor, coordinators of the voice clinic, emphasised, "The department remains committed to promoting voice health awareness and providing comprehensive care to individuals with voice disorders."

Banumathy said a public awareness video was rolled out in movie theatre to mark the World Voice Day.