The programme helps in guiding schools in maintaining student health records, preventive healthcare, setting medical emergency kits to provide emergency care
Are schools ready to handle the Mental Health Crisis? Can schools address growing incidences of lifestyle diseases in children? Today, school principals and headmistresses are facing many questions and are searching for answers. SRCC Children’s Hospital, Haji Ali, unveiled a NH My Healthy School Programme – advocating a holistic approach to the overall well-being of the child which when inculcated at an early stage leads to future healthy practices with the most experienced and highly trained paediatric specialists in the country. It will help shape a child’s future well-being.
NH My Healthy School Programme includes a dedicated website for schools and parents, which creates health related awareness for children in the early days of their life. The programme also helps in guiding schools in maintaining student health records, preventive healthcare and setting medical emergency kits to provide emergency care. It focusses on emotional, scholastic, physical and mental health well-being through comprehensive awareness programmes. SRCC-NH will provide consistent support in terms of emergencies and other illnesses. SRCC shall issue advisory in terms of health epidemics along with an annual health check-up for the tied -up schools along with a bouquet of deliverables pertaining to various departments and health talks on trending topics.
To mark this momentous occasion, SRCC Children’s Hospital under the stewardship of Dr Mahesh Balsekar, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics, Narayana Health- SRCC Children’s Hospital, organised a symposium with Shaheen Mistri, CEO, Teach for India as Guest of Honour; speakers such as Dr Pervin Dadachanji, Senior Consultant, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, Narayana Health – SRCC Children’s Hospital speaking on Mental Health crisis in kids; and Dr Paresh Desai, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics, Narayana Health – SRCC Children’s Hospital speaking on Lifestyle Disease crisis in kids.
Dr Balsekar, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics, Narayana Health- SRCC Children’s Hospital, said, “Schools play an important role in influencing a child’s physical, psychological, emotional, and intellectual development and therefore they need to promote all-round physical and mental health. Children tend to be more susceptible to illnesses. NH My Healthy School Programme empowers schools to serve as an important pivot to create awareness amongst parents and teachers about key aspects including mental and physical health for the holistic growth of children.” He added, “The Mental Health crisis is growing with childhood depression, exam stress and bullying. Lifestyle diseases such as childhood obesity, fitness, nutrition, screen and sleep issues are rampant. With 14.4 million obese children, India has the second highest number of obese children in the world, next to China. The epidemic of childhood obesity is spreading with the incidences of overweight and obese children of private schools catering to upper income families shooting up sharply to 35-40 per cent compared to an average rise of 15 per cent in other schools. Many children may have chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and food allergies which schools need to be aware of, as accidents or illness can also occur during school hours.”
Rupesh Choubey, Facility Director, Narayana Health- SRCC Children’s Hospital said, “Through the My Healthy School initiative, we, at SRCC-NH are working towards creating an informative portal that will educate parents and schools to identify symptoms in children which in turn will help in early diagnosis and treatment. The initiative is launched to support schools to have a structured approach towards the health of their students. Schools have mandatory health check-up as a part of their curriculum. Parents would take interest in our My Healthy School programme as they are getting a paediatric super specialist consultation. Schools and parents can pick and choose from the offerings. Certain schools have multiple health check partners who conduct these check-ups in a staggered way. We at SRCC-NH will provide end-to-end support to the tied up schools.”