Features

Pragya Health Care Unit
School Health Promotion Programme

Introduction

The WHO definition of health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” But it is only a slogan or statement. In the context of Nepal large numbers of children are suffering from various diseases and malnutrition due to lack of knowledge and negligence of health related issues and because of the lack of knowledge parents have about scientific health practices. As a result, there is a direct and indirect impact on the school children in their proper study and competency. The undernourished children are more susceptible to various diseases and can therefore not secure the expected outcomes in the fields of education, sports, leadership and many more fields of life.

Background

Due to the lack of proper knowledge and guidance of health concern students as well as their parents are often misinformed. Some times, we find that people are misguided by the concept that “expensive treatment is the best treatment.” A Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U.) has recently been signed between the Pragya Foundation and Help Center Nepal to establish and launch the “Pragya Health Care Unit.” Help Center Nepal agreed to provide qualitative treatment and test for the children and school community of the Pragya English School. We are focusing on making every student aware of health related, environmental and social issues.

Improving the health condition of the students is a challenging job for the school management. And giving satisfactory health knowledge and working environment to the students is practically a difficult mission for the school teacher unless there is guidance from professionals in one of the related fields.

Having seen such problems and to further help the school with regards to improving the health condition the Help Center Nepal has designed a package called the “School Health Promotion Program;” with the sole objective of upgrading the health condition of the school children (detecting the problem and offering a solution as well) which will also be implemented at the Pragya English School through the Pragya Health Care Unit.

Justification and Importance

In order to make the future bright, children must get special attention in terms of quality education, a stimulating environment and sound health. With healthy manpower we can make an identity and compete to the world. In Kathmandu, due to the heavy pollution, health problems are occurring and increasing day by day. That’s why it is necessary to have check-ups regularly.

The Help Center Nepal has done a study of the school children and found that most of the students are suffering from health problems. In order to control and prevent the most common physical and mental problems the organization is necessary. Accordingly this program is designed to prevent and promote the health condition of the school children.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Pragya Health Care Unit are the following:

- To provide school children with health education;
- To provide health promotion services;
- To provide school health training package;
- To make students, teachers and the whole school community aware of their health
by conducting health training, workshops, seminars and health awareness programs;
- To provide qualitative treatment and diagnosis.

Tasks to be done to achieve the objectives and goals of the Pragya Health Care Unit:

- At least one fulltime Health Assistant will be working at the Pragya Health Care Unit;
- The staff and medical team of the Pragya Health Care Unit will maintain the database records of each student and of the whole school community;
- The total numbers of students, teachers and the school community will be divided into a small balanced group so that diagnosis can be done easily and effectively;
- Senior doctors will be invited to visit the Health Care Unit to offer some guidance;
- Counseling will be provided to needy students, parents and teachers;
- First Aid will be given on the spot;
- Critically suffering patients will be referred to proper doctors or hospital;
- Eye check-up, blood donation. Personal hygiene awareness campaigns will be conducted.