Child Health Division under the Ministry of Health and Population is planning to implement School Health and Nutrition Programme (SHNP) in 20 districts this fiscal year.

The Health Ministry and Ministry of Education had jointly piloted the programme at Sindhupalchowk and Syangja district from June 2008 to May 2012 in coordination of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

“With the phase-out of the programme, the government has taken an initiative to scale up and implement the programme in other districts with the financial support of the external development partners,” said Lila Bikram Thapa, Senior Public Health Officer at nutrition section of the division.

“The government has decided to scale up the programme for its cost effective results to develop physical, mental, emotional and educational status of the school children,” said Thapa.

The new districts are Morang, Sankhuwasabha, Mahottari, Nawalparasi, Jhapa, Okhaldhunga, Sindhuli, Chitwan, Kaski, Parbat, Rukum, Dang, Doti, Dadeldhura , Syangja , Sindhupalchowk, Dailekh, Bara, Rautahat and Salyan.

Under the programme, the students of Grade I-X will be administered a physical check-up, de-worming programme, first aid services, school check lists and child club mobilisation.

The physical check-up includes measuring height, weight and eye sight of children once a year to know the nutrition status of children.

Similarly, de-worming tablets will be distributed to children at target schools twice a year to make them dewormed.

Likewise, the programme will also help schools to prepare a check-list to carry out self-evaluation with an aim to improve school environment, health and nutrition behaviour and habits of children.

source: The Himalayan Times,4 Nov 2012