KOCHI: When trolls and memes turn a medium to spread awareness, a health inspector in the district is turning to cartoons to teach people about health, lifestyle and related topics.
K S Aravindakshan, a health inspector at Varapetty Community Health Center, is ditching preaching for comic strips to create awareness about issues prevalent today. His works are on display at the four-day exhibition titled 'Varayum Aashayavum' at Varapetty CHC as part of World Cartoonist Day observance.
Be it the work that mocks the hypocrisy of people who plant saplings only on the Environmental Day or the one on parents who rush to secure their child's financial status, all the while neglecting his health, Aravindakshan's works hit the right note.
A cartoon on a drunkard who indulges in binge eating being threatened by his heart encapsulates the sensitive nature of his works.
His creations also touch upon cleanliness, blood donation, myths on tuberculosis, HIV/ AIDS, handwashing, the importance of mental health, malaria, cleanliness and so on. Aravindakshan says cartoons are a good medium to reach the masses, inform them and raise awareness. "When we advise, people tend to lose interest and become less accepting. On the other hand, if we spread information creatively and humorously, they embrace it," he says.
He began drawing cartoons in 2015. The then medical officer Dr Anita N Shenoy urged him to come up with something that reflects the importance of health. A board was put up near the OP section of the hospital to exhibit one health cartoon every week in the name "Aazhcha Cartoon"."I was not a professional cartoonist but used to draw. But, post that I began to seriously approach this. I have drawn almost 200 cartoons now," he added.
A South Vazhakulam native, Aravindakshan has been working at Varapetty CHC for the past seven years. He will be retiring this month with 25 years of service.