8.6K students with health issues identified during PMC campaign
During the screening, the highest number of students around 5,534 were found to have different diseases like skin, dental, asthma, pneumonia, squint, heart disease, and cancer, amongst others
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified as many as 8,598 students with health issues in the city across all age groups, including children below five years, adolescent girls and boys, till 18 years of age during Jagruk Palak–Sudrudh Balak (Alert Parents– Healthy Children) campaign.
According to officials, the programme started on February 9 this year and 4.65 lakh students out of target group 6.79 lakh have been screened.
PMC has 650 government schools, 556 private and semi-government schools, 967 government-run Anganwadis and 27 children’s correctional homes, orphanages schools of social welfare and tribal departments and schools for the visually impaired and disabled.
During the screening, the highest number of students around 5,534 were found to have different diseases like skin, dental, asthma, pneumonia, squint, heart disease, and cancer, amongst others.
Furthermore, around 1,282 were found suffering from deficiency—vitamin A, vitamin B complex and vitamin D, stunting, severe acute malnutrition (SAM), moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and obesity amongst others.
Apart from these 218 children were found suffering from birth defects. Also, 264 children were found suffering from illnesses like menstrual problems and psychological issues.
Dr Vaishali Jadhav, assistant medical officer, PMC, said, “The children were counselled during the medical evaluation. They are referred to the hospital based on the finding and evaluation for further diagnostics and treatment. ”
A senior officer said the screening of around 69% of students has been completed and now we have only 3% of the population that has to be covered under the campaign.
A total of 123 health teams conducted the campaign across these five zones and fifteen ward office jurisdictions.
