Sri Vijaya Puram, April 29: In a move to strengthen preventive healthcare outreach, 80 frontline health workers in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been trained in the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) as part of preparations for the 12th International Day of Yoga, 2026.
The two-day training programme, conducted on April 27 and 28 at the auditorium of Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Sri Vijaya Puram, focused on equipping Community Health Officers (CHOs), Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) with practical knowledge of yoga practices.
Organised by the AYUSH Wing of the Directorate of Health Services in collaboration with the Andaman and Nicobar State Ayush Society under the National AYUSH Mission, the programme aimed to enable frontline health workers to promote yoga and healthy lifestyle practices within communities.
The valedictory function was attended by Director of Health Services H.M. Siddaraju, who underscored the role of yoga in preventive healthcare. He said integrating yoga into daily routines can contribute to overall well-being and reduce the burden of lifestyle-related health issues. He also urged participants to extend awareness efforts across the islands.
The sessions were designed to familiarise participants with the Common Yoga Protocol, a standardised set of yoga practices promoted nationally to ensure uniformity in training and outreach. Officials said the training would support grassroots-level dissemination of yoga practices through health workers engaged in community services.
The programme began with a welcome address by Deputy Director (AYUSH) Kalyan P. Kadbhane, who outlined the objectives of the initiative. Technical sessions were conducted by Medical Officer in charge (Yoga and Naturopathy) Nandini, along with a team of yoga therapists and instructors attached to the AYUSH department.
Participants actively engaged in the sessions, which combined theoretical understanding with practical demonstrations aimed at building confidence in conducting yoga sessions at the community level.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to integrate traditional wellness practices into public health systems, particularly through frontline workers who serve as the first point of contact in rural and urban areas.
Officials indicated that such training programmes are expected to play a key role in expanding awareness and adoption of yoga as a preventive health measure, especially ahead of nationwide observances linked to International Day of Yoga.
