With the deterioration of the air quality across North India posing serious health risks to children, there arose the urgency for preventive health education. A prominent scientist looks at the scenario as an opportunity for Haryana to pioneer the implementation of robust policy reforms including mandatory health education for youth.

Dr Rahul Mehra, India’s National Representative for the UNESCO Chair in Global Health & Education, asserted that mandatory health education for children is the key to tide over the situation arising from atmospheric pollution. “I strongly believe health education should be compulsory for children in their formative years, towards this end we have begun an experiment the initial results of which are encouraging,” he said.

Tarang Health Alliance, led by its founder and executive chairman, Dr Mehra, in partnership with Fijeeha, hosted a media workshop in Chandigarh to discuss the need for compulsory health education in schools in Haryana.

“Haryana’s children deserve the same clean air as those in cities like Chicago, where AQI levels rarely exceed 50,” Dr Mehra said, adding, “While our youth is facing pollution levels upwards of 350 AQI daily, preventive health education can play a vital role in ameliorating long-term health impacts and empowering the next generation to make informed health choices.”

He said unlike treatment-based healthcare, preventive health education teaches children to adopt healthy behavior to reduce the societal burden of health issues before they arise.

Formerly a research scientist in bio-medical engineering, Dr Mehra owns over 70 patents and has contributed over 100 publications. Under his stewardship, Tarang Health Alliance has embarked on a mission to bring health education into every classroom in India, starting with Haryana and NCR region.

In partnership with the Haryana government, Tarang has launched a pilot programme in 12 government schools, supplemented by efforts in 18 private schools in the NCR region, Chandigarh, and Jaipur.

“This initiative, which covers physical, mental, and social health, aligns with the state’s broader welfare programs under the guidance of Haryana’s Chief Minister Mr Nayab Singh Saini,” said Dr Mehra.

Under this programme, children learn critical health skills such as nutrition, hygiene, stress management, healthy relationships, and conflict resolution. “Our pilot programme has already shown promising results with students demonstrating greater understanding of health issues and making healthier choices. This shift reflects the power of a structured, curriculum-based approach to health education,” he said.

The data from Haryana reflects the need for this intervention. Living in highly polluted environments, children’s lung capacity can be reduced by 20 per cent, which is akin to the effects of long-term second-hand smoke exposure, according to UNICEF. Additionally, with six of the NCR cities identified as non-attainment cities by the Commission for Air Quality Management, Haryana’s youth face severe health risks.

“Our goal is to reach a point where health education is not an option, but a core subject in schools,” said Dr Mehra, adding, “We aim to have health education made compulsory for classes VI to VIII. These years are formative, and empowering our children with knowledge now will benefit their health, and our society, for years to come.”

The programme’s focus on a holistic approach resonates in India’s National Education Policy, which promotes a “Swacch Bharat, Swasth Bharat” (Clean India, Healthy India) ideal. “Health education not only supports a child’s academic growth but also nurtures their physical, mental, and social well-being,” Dr Mehra remarked.

This approach is critical in making health a lifelong value for young citizens and aligns with the country’s broader vision of ‘Viksit Bharat ’(Developed India).

With plans to scale the program nationwide, Tarang Health Alliance is hopeful that this model will inspire other states to integrate health education into their curriculums. “This is one of the most important investments in our country’s future,” Dr Mehra concluded.