SCHOOL HEALTH CLINIC: AN INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL, PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS

HIGHLIGHTS-

  • The Delhi Government has launched a ‘School Health Clinic’ in 20 government schools.
  • The government school students will have free access to doctors and psychologists on campus anytime they need them.
  • Every student will meet with a psychologist at least once in the six months.

The Delhi Government has launched a ‘School Health Clinic’ in 20 government schools. For the first time in the national capital, the government school students will have free access to doctors and psychologists on campus anytime they need them. The Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain inaugurated 20 Aam Aadmi School Clinics in the city.

These clinics are part of a pilot project that the Delhi government is doing in cooperation with the Hans Foundation. On this occasion, Sisodia emphasized the importance of providing mental health help to students on school premises.

All about the ‘School Health Clinic’

The school health clinics are basically an extension of the government’s flagship mohalla clinics. The clinics have been set up in 20 government schools on a pilot basis. In each School Health Clinic, one assistant or nurse and one psychologist will be assigned. Along with them, a doctor will be assigned to each of the five clinics. The doctor will visit them once a week. These clinics will be available only to students from that school and will be open during school hours. Like the government’s newer mohalla clinics, the school health clinic will operate from portacabins on the school premises.

How will the ‘School Health Clinic’ function?

At least 30 children will be screened at each clinic every day. The nurse may ask them questions that may help to uncover several problems. In addition, each student will undergo a blood sugar and hemoglobin checkup. The students will be referred to a doctor if there are any irregularities.

The purpose behind the ‘School Health Clinic’

The major purpose of this initiative is to provide comprehensive health screening and treatment for children in one location. Children will have a full health check-up twice a year, during which all of their parameters will be checked.

During the launch event, Satyendar Jain, the health minister, stated, “It is now well known that many children’s BMIs are low — 20-25 percent of youngsters are underweight, and anemia is frequent. Eye issues are also detected late… Blood tests will be performed, and eyes and hearing will be checked…I hope to expand it up as well, and we will open these in every government school.”

The psychologist at the ‘School Health Clinic’

Every person requires a psychologist in some phase of life. The psychologists at the School Health Clinic will help the students in such conditions. The psychologists will work with both groups and individuals throughout their sessions. Students are currently referred to the psychologist by the nurse, who may detect a need during a health screening, or by instructors, who may see behaviors that indicate a student may require treatment from the psychologist

Every student will meet with a psychologist at least once in the six months. The Health Minister stated, “It should not be the case that the significant value addition you have made by bringing in a psychologist implies that some children’ require psychological treatment. This isn’t the case. It is difficult to find anyone in society who does not require psychiatric care, and this is especially true in childhood… Nurses and teachers should not be allowed to make the decision. Let the psychologist visit the students every six months and decide whether they need a therapist or can continue in the same manner”

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Dr. Kirti Sisodhia

Content Writer

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