Cleanliness and sanitation should be inculcated in children from a young age. As children follow the footsteps of their parents, it is important to educate the parents also to be worthy role models, said Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director-General (Programmes), World Health Organisation.
She was speaking at a function organised by the Rotary Club of Madras East on Monday to felicitate her.
Dr. Swaminathan, who shared her experiences as a young researcher, said children should be given an opportunity to experiment and do things for themselves in school laboratories and this would inculcate in them a curiosity, a prerequisite for research in life later.
She recalled that it was the national science fellowship she won in class XI and later the research fellowship in the United States that enabled her to mature as a serious researcher.
During her tenure at the Chennai-based Tuberculosis Research Centre, now known as National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, she realised that people have “different expectations.”
Recollecting her days at the centre, Ms. Swaminathan said, “For public health, it is important to understand what people want.” Her frequent visits to the Jawadhu Hills to identify TB patients taught her to realise that the needs of people were much different than those of researchers.
“Rotary must now prepare for the next big global challenge,” she said, referring to the Rotary International’s participation in eradicating polio in the country. “It is time the Rotary International took up TB elimination,” she said, pointing out that a third of the TB patients in the world were from India.
Earlier, P.R. Narayanan, former director of NIRT, who introduced her, recalled her passion for research which brought her accolades and recognition.
Rotary Club of Madras East honoured Dr. Swaminathan with a plaque.