Health dept fails to meet School Health Programme deadline

RANCHI: The health department has not been able to accomplish the task of covering 100 per cent schools and children under the School Health Programme (SHP). Part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the first round of the programme started in November 2012 in which, till date only 45 per cent schools have been covered and 35 per cent children screened.Besides, the recruitment of a dedicated team of doctors consisting of two medical officers, one auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) has also got delayed.
While on the one hand, new proposals are being made to strengthen the programme, on the other, only a handful of schools have been covered in the past few months. The department has not been able to meet even half the target till now. The total number of schools to be covered under SHP is 41,000. The deadline for the programme has been extended to March 31 from March 16.
Aboobacker Siddiqui P, mission director of Jharkhand Rural Health Mission, conceded that recruitment has been inordinately delayed. He said, "The scrutiny of candidates is on and by the end of this month, we hope to have a dedicated team in place."
He was quick to add, "Though we do not have a team in place, children are not being ignored as those referred are being treated at the nearest community health centre (CHC). The board exams also slowed down the programme for some time. The dates have been extended and we will put our best efforts to achieve the set target with the existing staff."