Schools urged to implement School Health Programme to keep children healthy

An appeal has been made to the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Education to implement the School Health Programme to keep school children healthy, as schools resume for the next session.

This appeal was made by Dr Izehiuwa Enato, a Consultant Paediatrician, while delivering a lecture titled “School Health Services: Refocusing on School Health Programme,’ during a seminar organized by the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital/University of Benin, Benin City.

According to her, “both communicable and non communicable diseases affect the child holistically, especially their education as it leads to reduced school enrollment, prolonged and repeated school absenteeism and poor cognitive ability.”

She said these diseases are largely preventable through the school health programme, adding that the school health services are preventive and curative services provided for the promotion of the health status of students and staff.

“As the new session begins, the schools should have pre-enrollment session screening, an opportunity for the children and staff to be checked. Those who sell food items, such as biscuits and anything that the children eat should be screened,” she said.

While noting that the school has access to 95 percent of the nation’s young children, Dr Enator, who is a senior lecturer, Edo State University, Uzairue, and adjunct lecturer, Institute of Child Health, College of Medicinal Sciences, University of Benin, disclosed that, “the earlier you notice a disease and you treat it, more money is saved. The schools should screen the food handlers, provide a first aid box and there should be the presence of nurses and a sick bay. There is failure in the implementation of the School Health Programme due to lack of awareness.”

She recommended that the Ministry of Health should implement the school health programme, the Ministry of Education and the schools should form a school health programme committee, while the Institute of Child Health should collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health to provide the e-copies of the guideline.

The Director, Institute of Child Health, Prof. (Mrs) Ayebo Sadoh, said the Institute has been collaborating with stakeholders to create awareness on the need for School Health programmes because it is an aspect of keeping the children healthy.