Govt introduces new scheme to develop healthy lifestyle among students

Govt introduces new scheme to develop healthy lifestyle among students

The government is running the School Health and Nursing Services Program to help school children develop healthy lifestyles and establish good health and hygiene habits among them.

The process was recently approved by the Ministry of Health and the population was developed in line with the existing Health Services Act and the National Health Policy. It aims to improve the health status of children by increasing their access to health and nutrition services at the school level, creating a clean, hygienic and learning-friendly environment.

The School Health and Nursing Services program will only be applicable in community schools.

As per the procedure, the Nursing and Social Security Division in the Department of Health Services will choose the local level to implement the program. After the agreement, the division provides Rs 50,000 for drugs and other medical supplies locally. Expenditure of more than Rs 50,000 will be borne at the concerned local level.

The procedure sets out a provision for a nurse in each school where the program is implemented. A person who has passed a nursing course from a recognized institution and is registered with Nepal Nursing Council will be eligible for school nurse.

School nurses will be hired locally through open competition in line with current contract law.

The nurse will receive a salary equivalent to a fifth level employee of Nepal Health Service. The process envisages a five-member Steering Committee headed by the Director General of DoHS at the central level to implement effective and successful implementation of the program. Similarly, a five-member School Health Coordination Committee headed by the Deputy Head of the local level will be formed to manage each local level program.

A school health unit headed by the principal will provide health services to the children through a nurse, making necessary arrangements for the program.

The nurse will maintain a personal statement and health record of each student, including updating the list himself. “The school nurse is required to provide progress reports to the school administration, local level and board every seven months. The School Health Coordination Committee will carry out the monitoring and evaluation activities of the nurse, ”the process reads.

Meanwhile, a sub-metropolitan city, four municipalities and two rural municipalities are scheduled to roll out programs in schools in the current financial year, citing the federal finance ministry and general administration.