The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 9,370 schoolchildren found with heart diseases

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Thursday, May 29, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

9,370 schoolchildren found with heart diseases

Shastry V. Mallady

Special campaign from June 3 to mark CM’s birthday

MADURAI: The School Children Health Programme implemented across the State has identified 9,370 children below the age of 15 years with cardiac ailments who require surgery.

The Government has decided to conduct a special campaign for screening school children for heart diseases (both congenital and rheumatic) and also fix surgeries through district-level committees under the chairmanship of respective Collectors.

The campaign will begin on June 3, to mark the birthday of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. Officials in the Health Department here told The Hindu on Tuesday that the Health Secretary, V.K. Subburaj, had sent a communication to District Collectors on May 23 with guidelines on how heart disease screening campaign must be implemented through Government and accredited private hospitals.

“The special campaign will continue in schools up to June 30 to identify school children with cardiac ailments,” the Secretary said.

All the 9,370 identified children will undergo second round of screening before being taken for surgeries.

The Deputy Director of Health Services in districts have been asked to prepare an action plan for organising cardiac camps and obtain the willingness of parents for their children’s operation in Government/private hospitals.

A list of 17 private hospitals identified for the scheme — “Ilam Sirar Aruvai Sikitchai Thittam” — has been sent to authorities for reference.

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