Govt starts 20 clinics for mental, physical well-being of students
New Delhi: In order to cater to student's physical and mental health needs, the Delhi government launched 20 Aam Aadmi School Clinics which will conduct full-body checkups, guidance on health management, stress management, and individual therapy sessions by a trained psychologist.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia along with Health Minister Satyendar Jain inaugurated the 20 Aam Aadmi School Clinics at an event held at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Moti Bagh area. At the event, the Deputy CM stressed on the need for mental health support to students within the school campus. The 20 clinics are a part of a pilot project which is being implemented in collaboration with The Hans Foundation.
The clinics are built in a porta cabin within the premises of the school itself and 30 students will be screened daily. Each clinic will have a trained doctor, ANM, psychologist and a multi-task worker with the ANM being responsible for screening the students for any physical as well as mental health issues.
The Aam Aadmi School Clinics are an extension of Mohalla clinics and have been started with the aim of providing biannual health checkups to the school students.
The school clinics will consist of doctors and psychologists who will listen to the problems of students at the earliest from the grassroots level so that necessary timely treatment can be provided.
"Having a psychologist is one of the biggest steps because it will be an addition to our happiness curriculum. All the forces have come together from parents to society and hospitals that have joined hands to safeguard the future of this nation," Sisodia said at the event. The clinics are currently being started in 20 government schools which will be expanded to more schools across the city.
The clinic will provide free consultation, medicines, screening, treatment, and first aid services with a referral system to higher hospitals. It will also have qualified and trained staff who will conduct biannual follow up of every student and give special focus on detection of anaemia, malnutrition, refractive errors and menstrual hygiene. The clinic will have a list of free medicines that has been curated keeping in mind the specific needs of adolescents.
The school clinic will also provide health cards to the students to ensure the maintenance of their health portfolio and to ensure ease in higher reference. These clinics function digitally and maintain data on an online web portal through electronic tablets provided to them.
"We have initially started with this intervention for students, but we will think about extending these services for teachers as well as parents in the coming future," Jain added.
The government has launched the project with the support of CSR initiatives of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital Delhi, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited and BSES Yamuna Power Limited.
