MCD and Fortis Healthcare Ltd. and SRL Ranbaxy join hands in fight against anaemia in MCD Schools
7th January 2008
The Programme to target 35,000 School Children in 192 MCD Schools, in Shahdara North, Delhi.
Mayor, Ms. Arti Mehra today informed that to give momentum and to enhance the Anaemia Control Programme in MCD Primary Schools, Fortis Healthcare Limited and SRL Ranbaxy have come forward to collaborate in our Anaemia Control Programme. They will make a beginning from Shahdara North Zone. They will conduct Haemoglobin estimation of 35,000 children of 4th and 5th Classes in MCD Primary Schools in Shahdara North Zone having 192 schools and 49000 children in 4th and 5th Classes. The remaining 14,000 children will be covered by technical staff of School Medical Scheme and MCD’s Hospitals. This collaboration will be a part of their corporate social responsibility and they will not charge anything.
Looking cit meager resources and infrastructure of MCD, it will be a big contribution to our programme of Anaemia Control in our school children, Mayor said.
Chairman, Health Committee, Dr. V.K. Monga informed that Anaemia Control Programme of MCD’s School Health Scheme is progressing at a good pace. A total of around 20,000 children have been examined in Shahdara North, Shahdara South and West Zone of MCD. The data throws some glaring results. Some schools have 100% anaemic children and in fact, all schools have more than 85% children anaemic, he said.
Mr. Praveen Chawla, Chief Operating Officer of Fortis Hospital, Noida said that as part of Fortis Healthcare CSR activity they are pleased to join hands with MCD to conduct the Anaemia Detection Campaign. The whole campaign will be conducted by Fortis hospital and SRL Ranbaxy, and they shall not charge any financial help from MCD. He said that they look forward to conduct such activities in future also.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sanjeev Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer, SRL Ranbaxy said that they are happy to join hands with MCD in the drive against Anaemia. They have the state-of-the-art diagnostic technology. Their medical experts will conduct the Haemoglobin Estimation of students with the technology approved by WHO, maintaining their best quality standards. They are extremely happy to extend their expertise to help the young children to live a healthy life.
Dr. Monga said that it is a sort of national emergency and all health providing systems should contribute to this programme so as to control Anaemia which is affecting physical and mental growth of our children. It is a major cause of school drop out also. It is a well known fact that aneamic child grows into an aneamic adult, said Chairman, Health Committee. It is also authenticated that añeamic mother produces aneamic child. Wherever Heamoglobin estimation have been done, iron folic acid tablets are being distributed and the results will be assessed after 6 months. Along with this programme, nutritional counselling is also being provided.
Mayor Ms. Arti Mehra said that anaemia is the main cause of tiredness and lack of activity not only in children but also in teenagers and youth. It should be checked and treated at early school stage. MCD’s main object is to reach out to children coming from economically weaker sections of society. She said that MCD would endeavour its best to implement the programme in such a manner so as to become a model for the entire country.
Dr. Monga informed that the specific components of the Anaemia Control Programme are as follows:
Initially the students belonging to Class 4 and 5 of the MCD schools would be the targeted beneficiaries.
2 teachers from every school along with the principal will be trained in Nutritional counselling, anaemia management and for advocacy and liasioning.
Sustained advocacy on the subject will be carried out with parents, students and media. The students and parents would be explained the harmful effects of anaemia and the benefits of supplementation. They will also be explained the side effects of treatment to allay their anxieties and reduce drop out rate.
Age appropriate IEC material will be developed for distribution to students. Specific material for teachers would also be developed.
Investigations to determine the HB level and Thalassemia trait will be carried out. The sample size will be decided depending upon the recommendations of the Technical Support Group (T5G). Ethical considerations like consent and others will be taken into account.
The trained teachers, on the designated day of the week, will provide the IFA supplement to the students who will consume it “there and then” to ensure compliance.
The children who are absent on the designated day, will be provided with the supplement on the next day.
Very anaemic children will be referred for therapeutic management to the School health Scheme/other institutions.
The trained teachers will periodically carry out Nutritional counselling to foster good nutritional practices (“Eating Wisely”), discuss various methods that promote Healthy Growth and Development and interact with parents to provide them with “tips for better nutrition”.
The implementation will be actively monitored throughout the period and. evaluation will be carried out at the end of 6 months.
The Health Department will be primarily responsible for diagnosis of anaemia, developing management strategies, trainings of master trainers, providing supplies of materials (IFA, deworming medicines) etc. and for monitoring of results. The Department will utilize the feasible options to carry out the allocated tasks.
The Education Department will through Nodal teachers (Change Agents”) oversee the actual implementation of the initiative at the class room level. The supplementation scheduled (weekly/twice a week) suggested by the coordination committee will be implemented by the nodal teachers in the classrooms. The Education Department will also monitor the implementation process.)
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