Collector flags off vehicle of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram

 Bhimavaram: West Godavari district collector Chadalawada Nagarani flagged off a vehicle of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) organised under the auspices of the District Medical and Health Department on the premises of Sri Chinthalapati Bapiraju Smarakonnata School (SCHBRM School) here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, collector Nagarani said that the mobile health team trained under the RBSK will provide early detection, free treatment, management and screening of 32 common health conditions including diseases, other defects, developmental disorders and others to children from birth to 18 years of age.

They will be sent to the District Emergency Intervention Centre (DEIC) set up at the District Government Hospital in Tanuku through a special vehicle provided by the Central Government and provided with the necessary treatment.

This DEIC has been specially set up with 14 staff members including paediatricians, medical officer, dental surgeon, physiotherapist, psychologist, lab technician, audiologist and speech therapist, optometrist, special educator, stop nurses, etc., She said that referrals will be made to state-level hospitals for medical services not available in the district. She said that a time schedule has been prepared for screening tests for students in all schools across the district and the tests are being conducted accordingly.

In the first phase, ANM and paramedical staff completed a survey of 1, 39, 811 children out of 1, 98, 895 children in Anganwadi, primary and upper primary schools in the district by February 12, and identified the causes of illness in 5,801 children.

Out of these, 3,416 children were screened by the medical officer and 1,043 children were identified with medical problems falling within the 4D range and are being provided medical assistance at the District Children’s Hospital Treatment Centre in Tanuku.

Collector personally spoke to students identified for treatment falling within the 4D range at SCH BRM School and inquired about the details of their medical problems. She advised that consumption of packaged foods such as junk food, fast foods, and cold drinks should be reduced, and it would be even better to avoid them altogether.

District Medical and Health Officer Dr Bhanu Nayak, RBSK Coordinator Dr CH Bhavana, DEO E Narayana, school principal B Srinivasa Rao, correspondent K Ramakrishnam Raju, DNR Educational Institutions Secretary Gadiraju Satyanarayana Raju, ANMs, students, and others were present.