CHANDIGARH: Haryana Governor A. R. Kidwai on Tuesday emphasised the need for compulsory medical check-up of children on their entry to Class I and Class VI to ensure their good health and detect any diseases.

Presiding over a meeting of officials of the State Departments of Health, Education and Women and Child Development here, he said that coordinated efforts should be made for medical check-up of the children and to provide timely medical care. Malnutrition should also be checked.

He also directed that medical teams be constituted to do periodical check-ups and medical cards be prepared of all children depicting everything necessary to know about their health.

"The services of the Red Cross Society, voluntary organisations and private doctors should also be utilised in this endeavour."

Dr. Kidwai also directed that the PNDT Act should be implemented strictly to check the menace of female foeticide. Regular checks should be conducted at medical clinics to enforce this Act strictly. He also advised that abortion cases should be fully investigated to know about the real cause of going in for medical termination of pregnancy.

The Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Health), Urvashi Gulati, disclosed that under a special campaign about 19 lakh children were de-wormed and acquainted about personal hygiene, sanitation and common diseases.

Teachers were also being imparted training about the diseases, specially eyesight problems, so that they could guide the parents and children to take appropriate action in time.

Mothers were being advised to breastfeed their babies for the first six months to reduce the under-five mortality rate.

The Commissioner and Secretary for Women and Child Development, Dalip Singh, suggested that fortification of wheat flour, sugar and oil with micronutrients should be made mandatory to reduce malnutrition in children and pregnant mothers.

The anganwaries were providing nutritious diet to 18 lakh children and pregnant and nursing mothers in the State to improve their nutritional status. Haryana Education Minister Phool Chand Mullana also attended the meeting.

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