[Answered] What, do you think, constitutes well-functioning and effective school health services? Highlight the policy measures required for the expansion and strengthening of school health services in India?

Although school children have limited medical care needs, there are many required health needs such as unhealthy dietary habits, irregular sleep, mental, the use of tobacco and other substances, addiction, etc. The health knowledge acquired, and lifestyle adopted at the school-going age stays in adulthood. An effective school health services lay the foundations of healthy behaviour for the rest of their life.

Features of well-functioning and effective school health services:

• School health services should focus on four main areas of acute and emergency care; family engagement; chronic disease management; and care coordination.
• According to WHO , school health services should be designed based on local need assessment; have components of health promotion and education, screening leading to care and/or referral and support as appropriate.
• The objective of school health services has to be the promotion of positive health, prevention of disease, early diagnosis, treatment and follow up, raising health consciousness in children and enabling the provision of a healthy school environment.

Measures required for the expansion and strengthening of school health services:

• Detailed timeline and dedicated budgetary allocation: Every Indian State needs to draw up a road map to revamp and strengthen school health services. The Fifteenth Finance Commission grant for the health sector could be leveraged.
• Improve the existing school health infrastructure: Health talks and lifestyle sessions should be a part of teaching. Subjects such as menstrual hygiene, etc. should be integrated into regular classroom teaching.
• Destigmatise mental health services: School health clinics should be supplemented with online consultation for physical and mental health needs.
• Participation of parents: especially through parent-teacher meetings. Parents need to be sensitised about school health services of other countries; this may work as an important accountability mechanism to strengthen school health.
• Integration with private schools: the Government’s school health services initiatives do not include private schools.
• There is a need to review and increase financial allocation for the school health initiative under the Ayushman Bharat programme.

The Departments of Education and Health in every Indian State must work together to strengthen school health services. It is an opportunity to bring children, parents, teachers, health and education sector specialists and the Departments of Health and Education on a common platform to ensure better health and quality education for every child in India.