The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Hospital's scheme enters 20th year

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 30, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Hospital's scheme enters 20th year

K. Manikandan

A Hindu Mission Hospital team visits all schools and screens the students

HEALING TOUCH: Doctors and staff of Hindu Mission Hospital screening children at a school in Old Perungalathur during a free medical camp. — PHOTO: A. MURALITHARAN

TAMBARAM: It is now a familiar sight in remote villages in and around Tambaram: a medical van making its way to schools, travelling through meandering, dusty, bumpy roads. Villagers eagerly greet doctors and paramedical staff alighting from the van. For the past 19 years, vehicles of the Hindu Mission Hospital have been criss-crossing Tambaram taluk and even villages beyond travelling to government and private schools with a goal to ensure that school students are in sound health.

The hospital, situated adjacent to the Grand Southern Trunk Road, Tambaram initiated the School Medical Check-up Programme 19 years ago. In the beginning of each academic year (between June and September) a team from the hospital visits all the schools and screens the students. The team gives the students simple, basic tips on personal hygiene.

Those requiring follow-up treatment are taken to the hospital where they are treated free of cost. Further, de-worming and Vitamin A tablets are also administered to the students. A hygiene kit comprising toothpaste and toothbrush, toilet soap and shampoo, sponsored by Hindustan Lever is also given. Since inception, more than 12.7 lakh students have been screened in various parts of Kancheepuram district.

Heads of institutions, particularly government schools, have welcomed the gesture whole-heartedly as it is possible to detect and prevent the diseases and infections students are likely to be affected with. Teachers at the St. Thomas Mount Panchayat Union Elementary School in Old Perungulathur said only by prevention of diseases could regular attendance of students be ensured.

Doctors and paramedical staff said the most common problems confronting young students were tooth decay and minor ear ailments.

The Hindu Mission Hospital has also been conducting Bhaktha Jana Seva - a daily free rural mobile clinic since 1993 with the motive of taking quality healthcare to the rural masses. And in the past 13 years, more than 7.8 lakh people have been screened. D.K. Srinivasan, secretary of the hospital, said they also conducted Narayana Seva - weekly free camps where seven specialists conduct a thorough health check-up for residents from all age groups. Since March 2004, the hospital has screened 12,917 persons during the weekly Kannappar eye camp and performed free cataract intra-ocular lens surgeries for 1,164 of them. Mr. Srinivasan said the schemes were being run with support and assistance from voluntary organisations, philanthropists and well-wishers adding that they would continue in the years to come.

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