Student health camps adopt new regulations

Heart-related problems and chronic diseases in students covered at camp

Health inspection programme under the Suvarna Arogya Chaitanya Scheme will operate under new guidelines from this year. 

In previous years, the camps remained operational for only a short time during the year. From this year, however, they will be operational throughout the year. The programme, which commenced on August 1, will cover students from 1st to 10th standard.

Preliminary check

According to the earlier camp-based programme (inaugurated in 2006-2007), a preliminary health check was made of all students at all schools this month, including at government and private, aided and unaided schools. 

Later, students were checked for heart-related problems and chronic diseases. Afflicted students were sent to another camp, on a date decided by the deployed private medical organisations. Students were finally admitted to the hospitals for treatment. In addition, students who could not attend the medical camp were forced to wait until the next camp was conducted, to obtain treatment. 

In urdu medium schools, health check-up programme will be implemented after August 20. This step has been taken as students will be observing fast during Ramzan, she said.

There are 478 government, aided and unaided schools in the taluk, where almost 60,000 students will undergo health check-up. Some schools and parents have expressed concerns over students being injected with medicines. But they should understand that some injections are necessary at some age, said BDO Shivalingaiah.

Admission to hospitals

 Under the new rules, sufferers of chronic disease are eligible to be admitted to hospital at any time of the year, under the Yashaswini Scheme.

“Previously, it was mandatory that students had to be checked in the camp to get treatment. From this year, students can seek treatment at any time,” said Dr Latha Pramila, the Taluk Medical Officer.

Once students are given a health check-up, their medical information is to be recorded on cards. In the case of emergencies, the information is used by taluk medical officers to approve treatment. Student are then eligible for treatment at any hospital  under the Yashaswini Scheme network, she added.

Hesitant to organise

Many private schools are hesitant to organise health-check up camps at their schools, accoprding to Dr Latha Pramila. 

Under the Scheme, DPT injections are given to students in 1st standard, whereas students of 4th and 10th standard are given injections to prevent tetanus, whooping cough and paralysis. But many private schools have said no to  treatments under the Suvarna Arogya Chaitanya Scheme. 

“This matter has been brought to the notice of the Block Development Officer,” she said.