Mumbai: 5,000 students treated at BMC’s school clinics in last 2 months

“The aim is early detection of diseases and deficiencies in students, as most of them come from economically weaker sections,” said an official associated with the scheme.

TWO MONTHS since civic schools reopened, around 5,000 students have been treated at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) school clinics. More than 34,000 students have undergone check-ups for free through the BMC’s School Health Programme, of which the clinics are a part. Surgeries were performed on five students between June and July this year.

The School Health Programme, which, according to BMC officials, began around 40 years ago, screen students at BMC schools for medical ailments. “Until last year, each student was screened once in two years but since this year, we have started screening them once a year,” said Padmaja Keskar, Executive Health Officer, BMC.

“The aim is early detection of diseases and deficiencies in students, as most of them come from economically weaker sections,” said an official associated with the scheme.

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“Preventive screening is conducted to identify cases of anaemia, difficulty in vision and early symptoms of heart ailments,” said Keskar. While simpler cases are treated at the school-levels, more serious cases are referred to school clinics set up in government hospitals. There are five such clinics in the city including one each in KEM Hospital and Nair Hospital.

“The school clinics treat the students for free and aid in surgeries when required,” said Keskar. The school clinics are manned by paramedics and 24 doctors, who screen 60 children a day.

“On an average, we screen at least 1.5 lakh students a day,” said the official. Last year around 1.9 lakh students were screened by School Clinics and more than 35,000 students were treated. A total of 54 surgeries were performed in the academic year 2015-16 of which 12 were operated for heart ailments. Visual ailments, deficiencies and skin problems are the most common complaints of students.

The programme, an initiative of the School Health Department, financially aids the treatments and surgeries. “A component of the BMC’s budget for education is earmarked for the School Health Department,” said Keskar.

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Apart from this, the department also conducts awareness campaigns in schools on how to prevent diseases. “We also sensitise students on what is ‘good touch’ and what is ‘bad touch’,” said Keskar.