KMC launches School Health and Wellness prog

Kolkata: In a bid to strengthen preventive and promotive health through education and instill healthy behaviour in children, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has partnered with the state National Health Mission (NHM), state Education department and a non-profit organisation and launched the School Health and Wellness programme.

“The programme aimed at imparting early health education will instill healthy behaviour in children, ensuring they lead productive lives and contribute to resilient, prosperous communities. Schools are targeted as ideal platforms for this education, addressing emerging social morbidities such as injuries, violence, substance, abuse, risky sexual behaviours and psychological disorders,” said Deputy Mayor Atin Ghosh who heads KMC’s Health department. Ghosh officially launched the programme in presence of senior officials of his department and top brass of Echo India, the non-profit organisation, on Tuesday.

According to T K Mukherjee, Advisor to KMC’s Health department, the programme will be first rolled out at Diamond Harbour in South 24-Parganas. The teachers will be imparted the necessary training who will in turn educate the children. To start with, 100 teachers will be trained in two batches of 50 each. There will be 11 training modules.

The first module kicked off from Tuesday with KMC doctor Abhay Kumar De talking on the topic “Growing Up Healthy.”

“The initiative aims to equip educators with essential tools to enhance awareness on disease prevention and overall well being,” said Sandeep Bhalla, vice-president (Projects), Echo India.