Seventeen Nursery School pupils from schools across the coastland on Tuesday received spectacles as part of the Comprehensive Child and Youth Health Programme. This is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, and Mount Sinai Health System.
In July 2023, the School Health Screening commenced with the Nursery Level 1. Screening was done throughout the country by the health care workers at the primary care level. The programme is being implemented with the aim of providing better access to health services for children across the country and increasing the rates of early diagnoses of childhood and adolescent diseases.
Following the screening exercise it was noted that seventeen nursery pupils needed spectacles. Two pupils in Region One, one pupil in Region Three, four pupils in Region Four, three in Region Five, six in Region Six and one in Region Ten.
During a simple handing over ceremony at the Ministry of Education, Brickdam, the spectacles were handed over to the pupils in the presence of their parents, Education Officers along with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Mount Sinai.
In brief remarks, Senior Education Officer in the Nursery Department, Ms. Abeeda Ali stated that the screening programme will ensure that each child will be given the relevant resources they need not only to succeed academically but overall.
Meanwhile, Dr Farah December from the Ministry of Health’s School Health Unit stated that the initiative was designed to bring services to pupils in their communities.
Country Director for Mount Sinai, Josué Alcántara-Marte stated that Mount Siani understands that healthy children will grow into healthy adults as such, School Health is an important component of guaranteeing healthy children and thus a healthy population.
