Participants in advocacy meeting here on Thursday stressed the need for undertaking health education programmes. Terming the good health as the driving force of the economy, they said importance should be given to health education and promotional programmes in the greater interest of economic emancipation. The Health Education Bureau of the Directorate of Health Services arranged the advocacy meeting titled "Social mobilisation cluster group education for the promotion of health in support of poverty alleviation' at the conference hall of the office of the Divisional Director of Health. Discussants said the general people particularly the rural ones should be brought under the health-related awareness activities through health education, and promotional and social mobilisation programme so that they could attain benefit from the programme. The deputy director of the Health Department, Dr Fakhrul Islam presented the concept paper on the topic with civil surgeon Dr Jahurul Islam in the chair. Among others, Divisional Director of Health ABM Tanjimul Haque, Deputy Director of Family Planning Mazedul Islam, Deputy Director of Social Service Mojammel Haque, District Primary Education Officer Yusuf Ali and ADAB local chapter Chairman SKL Muhammad Lalon spoke on the occasion. Speakers said there is no alternative to good public health for taking the nation towards prosperity and observed that ill health person could not contribute to the nation-building process. Referring to the adolescence health, the speakers underscored the need for creating an adolescent-friendly atmosphere in the greater interest of building competent future leadership, as they are 25 percent of the total population, amongst which 13.8 million are girls. In this context, they said 63 percent girls in the age group of 15-19 suffer from early marriage compared to only 3.7 of boys in the same age group. Of them, 31 percent girls get pregnant within a year of marriage. They favoured arranging different programmes to enhance their capacity and development of leadership skills. Taking part in the discussion, the participants put forward some recommendations relating to elimination of gender disparity, and child, adolescent and mother healthcare.