Health screening commences for nursery students

The Health Ministry, in partnership with the Education Ministry and Mount Sinai Health Systems, has commenced its Comprehensive Child and Youth Health Programme, which aims to screen school-aged children.
The initiative currently targets children who are enrolled to commence Nursery Level One this year. Medical examination and screening are being conducted by healthcare workers of the Health Ministry at specific health centres in each region.
Each child will undergo a physical examination of their head, eyes, ears, face, legs and arms. Heartbeat and blood pressure reading will also be recorded. Should a child require further care and examination, a referral mechanism will be put in place by the healthcare workers administering care.
Parents can access the list of health centres and dates on the Health Ministry’s Facebook page.
Intended to improve the health of school children aged 5-17, the Health Ministry aims to screen at least 27,000 nursery-level children by the ending of the year.
A comprehensive programme rolled out at the nursery level will ensure that every child gets at least one checkup. This data will be entered into a chart and if there are any problems, it will allow the Ministry to address them at an early age to prevent any long-term health conditions.
To execute this service, the Ministry is in receipt of a quantity of testing equipment and other medical materials as part of the collaboration with Mount Sinai Health Systems and Hess Cooperation.
During a recent broadcast message, Director of Family and Primary Health Care Services, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton had called on parents to throw their support behind the Comprehensive Child and Youth Health Programme, as she said it will ensure that the well-being of a child is met through early detection of any potential health concern.
The senior health official recognised that through this new initiative, Guyana’s children can be among the healthiest in the Region.
Hamilton voiced, “We believe that a healthy body and mind are essential for academic success. With this programme, we are taking proactive measures to promote the health and well-being of every student, enabling them to thrive both inside and outside of the classroom. To parents, I call on you to give us your support as we work towards ensuring that our children are among the healthiest in the Caribbean and Latin America.”
The sector received a whopping $84.9 billion as its budgetary allocation, which was intended to enhance and expand services to the entire population. (G12)