Bhojpuri actor-singer Manoj Tiwari (above) and health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey. Telegraph pictures

Bhojpuri actor-singer Manoj Tiwari has become the brand ambassador of the state health department. He would spread the message of public awareness through his Bhojpuri songs.

Donning the mantle of the heath department brand ambassador, Manoj will make people aware of the different schemes launched by the state government, including those to battle kala-azar and to maintain cleanliness in the surroundings.

Manoj said: “It is my privilege that the state government has entrusted me with such a responsible task. People need to become aware about the different schemes for them. However, many people have no knowledge of the welfare schemes owing to communication gap. The health department has given me this opportunity because I can reach such people by singing songs in their dialect.”

He added: “I would not give any speech to the people. Rather, I will spread awareness through Bhojpuri songs, which most of the people understand in Bihar, especially in rural areas. The common man can connect with the songs which I have started writing down. My songs deal with important issues like keeping the surroundings clean. Most diseases are caused by dirty surroundings. If people maintain hygiene and cleanliness, they will not get infected by common diseases.”

Tiwari enthralled the people of Bhagalpur when he dedicated a song Swasthya Mahakumbh on the concluding day of Jan Swasthya Chetna Yatra undertaken by health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on April 30.

“Schemes such as rural health and cleanliness committees at the panchayat-level and new-generation health guarantee scheme to provide health cards are largely available but people are not aware of them. There are cases of female foeticide and increase in infant mortality rate. The government runs various schemes and programmes to deal with such issues. It is not that people do not want to learn how to get rid of such problems but they are not able to connect to these problems and the songs in their dialect might help them do that,” said Tiwari.

Asked about his priorities as the health department brand ambassador, he added: “As you know that prevention is better than cure, so my first priority would be to make people aware of the basic tasks, which need to be carried out on a daily basis like keeping their toilets and kitchens clean. Awareness about the ill-effects of smoking and drinking, clearing stagnant water to prevent diseases caused by mosquito bites, such as malaria, will be undertaken. Spreading awareness about kala-azar would also be one of my top priorities.”

Asked about the kind of songs he would sing, Manoj said: “I will sing songs based on medicine, natural therapy, government schemes and programmes. Songs like Nimiya Ke Dari Maiya signify the importance of neem, which is also used for medical purposes. Campaign like Hum Do, Hamre Do, is the best technique to control the burgeoning population in the state. There would be many more issues dealing with health problems and superstitious practices in the society. I hope to deliver the message of the health department in the truest sense.”

Health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey told The Telegraph: “Manoj Tiwari is a renowned actor and singer. He is famous across the state and the decision of making him the brand ambassador is justified, as people always want to listen to his songs. So we have asked him to make people aware about serious issues like population rise, infant mortality rate, practice of female foeticide and many more.”

He added: “If these ideas are catered to the people in the form of songs, they will get the message correctly. Manoj will go from village to village and hold sabhas and camps so that people become aware about the government programmes and schemes, which are tailored for them. The method is unique by itself and common man will able to relate themselves with this. Since we can never forget that he is one of the biggest crowd-pullers, it is obvious that people will come to listen to him.”

The minister also said he has asked Padma Shri awardee and cancer specialist Dr Jitendra Kumar Singh, the director of Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, to become brand ambassador for spreading awareness about cancer in the state.