Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare for 2.5 lakh tribal students in Maharashtra took a backseat as schools and hostels closed. Now, the Department of Tribal Development has flagged five major gray areas with mental health topping the list. Also, the focus would be on dental habits, regular eye checkup, skin diseases and implementation of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) which are often ignored.
Mental health is one of the most neglected health issues in ashram schools, where suicide cases are on the rise. In July, a Class 12 student allegedly hanged herself at an ashram school in Palghar. Taking note of such cases, Dr. Pradeep Vyas, the new additional chief secretary of the Tribal Development Department, who has almost a decade of experience in the public health department, for the first time wants to bring mental health to the forefront.
“We want to sensitize directors and teachers so that they can identify students with signs of depression and anxiety or any other mental health problem. We will train school managers. This will help us provide timely care with advice and interventions,” said Dr. Vyas.
Most of these students are from marginalized communities who study in government-run and subsidized ashram schools and are often ignorant of dental habits, which ultimately affect their overall health. “Oral problems affected food intake. For example, if a student has untreated cavities, he will not be able to chew properly, which ultimately affects the consumption of nutritious food,” said Dr. Vyas. Therefore, initiatives would be taken to hold regular camps to check students’ dental health and eyesight.
“Children with poor eyesight cannot read the blackboard correctly, which affects their attention and some even fall into depression. With the regular vision check, we have to provide the students with glasses,” she said.
Many students complain of skin diseases such as scabies. Therefore, they would be trained in hygiene practices.
According to the center’s RBSK, students up to the age of 18 are screened for 4 D’s: birth defects, diseases, deficiencies and developmental delays. But its implementation is challenging, especially in areas where schools and shelters are located in remote areas.
“Proper implementation of the schemes, especially as all schools and shelters have opened after theCOVID-19 it will be our priority,” said Dr. Vyas.
Along with that, he also plans to bring nutritional variations in the food given to the children. “Usually, students in ashram schools are served dinner at 7 a.m.
pm and, after a lapse of 12 hours, the next day around 8 am, they eat breakfast. This is a long gap where the body demands food. Therefore, we are in discussions with nutritionists to find other alternatives,” said Dr. Vyas.
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