‘Aksharam Aarogyam’ programme launched in Kollam

The Health department, in collaboration with the General Education and Local Self-Governments departments, has launched Aksharam Aarogyam, a comprehensive school health and wellness programme.

Aimed at students from Classes I to XII in all government and aided schools across the State, the objective of the project is to ensure early intervention and systematic health monitoring for the younger generation. In the initial phase, 61,264 primary school students (Classes I to IV) in the district will undergo thorough health screenings. Trained health care professionals will evaluate general physical health, vision and hearing impairments, and learning disabilities. All findings, along with essential data such as blood group and vaccination status, will be documented in a dedicated Health Card prepared by the Health department.

Follow-up system

The programme includes a robust follow-up system where students requiring specialised care after the primary screening will be referred to the nearest health centres for expert consultation. To ensure smooth implementation, specialised training sessions have already been conducted for health care workers across all health blocks in the district. Beyond physical screenings, the project extends its reach to upper primary, high school, and higher secondary students through educational sessions. These classes will focus on physical and mental well being, right diets, importance of regular exercise and anti-drug awareness.

District medical officer A.L. Sheeja inaugurated the programme at St. Joseph’s School while Principal Sr. Rose Margaret presided over the function. District reproductive and child health (RCH) officer Linda Joseph, district programme manager of Arogya Keralam Dev Kiran and Education department senior superintendent Aji Kumar also spoke on the occasion.