Bhubaneswar: In a unique initiative aimed at promoting inclusive public health education, social worker and drug prevention advocate Mohammad Imran Ali has prepared a Braille book exclusively focused on substance use prevention for visually impaired children and youth.
Titled ‘Yes to Life, No to Drugs’, the Braille publication has been brought out by ‘Salaam Jeevan’, a voluntary organisation working in the fields of health promotion, drug prevention, disability inclusion and youth development.
“Awareness is the first step towards prevention, and accessibility to information is a fundamental right.
Every child and young person, including those with visual impairment, deserves equal access to knowledge that can protect their health, dignity and future,” Ali said.
Written in simple and accessible language, the book explains the causes, harmful effects and long-term consequences of tobacco, alcohol and other addictive substances.
It stresses that awareness, education and informed decision-making are the most effective tools to prevent addiction among children and young people.
He further announced that the book will be distributed free of cost through the postal network, enabling visually impaired students, special schools, libraries, rehabilitation centres and organisations working for persons with disabilities across the country to access the educational resource without any financial burden.