Foundation of Healthcare Technologies Society, University of Memphis School of Public Health, and Zila Parishad, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, under a joint collaborative initiative, are bringing the Model of Public Health Education to High Schools by using the Public Health in Action curriculum and establishing public health clubs across 50 high schools in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. This first-of-its-kind initiative is engaging more than 1,500 students as public health ambassadors across all 12 blocks of Kolhapur.

Building on the earlier sessions, the fifth training under this initiative was conducted by Dr. Ashish Joshi, PhD, MBBS, MPH, in Kolhapur on August 12, 2026, for 34 nodal teachers. Unlike a typical training session, this one took the shape of an open doubt-clearing session, where Dr. Joshi addressed teachers’ questions and concerns regarding the Public Health Club, while also motivating them and briefing them on the latest updates to the programme.

The initiative furthers the goals of the National Education Policy 2020 and reflects how public health in action can support the Maharashtra state government’s ‘My Village Healthy Village’ initiative, working to address adolescent health challenges such as unhealthy eating, environmental pollution, physical inactivity, emotional well-being, mental health, and social media and mobile addiction.