RIYADH, 20 January 2007 — A weeklong campaign to encourage men, women and children to drink more milk for a healthier life will begin today throughout the Kingdom.
Under the program, the Ministry of Health will distribute two million flyers to educate the public on the importance of drinking milk daily to supplement the vitamins needed for good health. Milk is an important source of several nutrients including protein, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12.
In addition to the literature, five million packets of milk will be distributed today among school children and another million packs will given to workers in private and public sectors.
The program will be launched by Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie in Riyadh in the morning in the presence of Education Minister Abdullah Al-Obaid and Agriculture Minister Fahd Balghunaim. Renowned Saudi singer Abdullah Al-Rashad, who has composed a special song for the occasion, is scheduled to perform it with the participation of a school choir at the inaugural function.
“We have instructed the 20 health regions in the Kingdom to organize programs to help people cultivate the habit of drinking milk regularly for their good health,” Dr. Khaled Al-Mirghalani, spokesman of the Ministry of Health, told Arab News yesterday.
To reinforce the impact of the flyers that will be inserted in leading Arabic dailies today, Al-Mirghalani said, the ministry has also printed 50,000 eye-catching posters, which will be pasted in prominent public places so that the health message could reach everyone.
Mirghalani said the theme song, which will be recited by Dr. Rashad with the chorus of students, would be relayed over radio and television. The spokesman said his ministry had also organized TV and radio programs to carry the health message to the public.
While describing the project undertaken by the ministry to cultivate the habit of drinking milk, Mirghalani thanked the leading dairy businesses that have donated milk in large quantities for free distribution in the national effort.
Abdul Mohsin Al-Obaikan, a member of the Shoura Council and consultant to the Ministry of Justice, pointed out that the Ministry of Health had organized this program at the right time when there is a noticeable increase in bone diseases reported in the Kingdom.
“The program would raise awareness among people of all age groups. Some of these diseases could be prevented with the regular consumption of milk,” he added.
