Schools play new role for students

Conduct awareness campaigns, drives to curb spread of monsoon-related disease

Schools play new role for students

Conduct awareness campaigns, drives to curb spread of monsoon-related disease

With cases of malaria and flu on the rise in the city, several schools and colleges have started drives, awareness campaigns and health check ups to curb the spread of monsoon-related disease. A series of awareness programmes to reduce breeding of mosquitoes, preventing stagnation of waste water and avoiding contamination of drinking water have been adopted by schools.
On Friday, students of RN Podar School in Santa Cruz were armed with the brooms, garbage bags and gloves as they cleaned up the skywalk on SV Road in Santa Cruz. "We have piles of garbage collected and rotting in the neighbourhood, which becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Many of our children were falling sick due to malaria so we decided to take matters in our own hands instead of waiting for government assistance," said Avnita Bir, principal, RN Podar School.
With assistance from three doctors and several nurses from a municipal hospital, students of Hinduja College at Charni Road set-up a makeshift malaria detection camp in their college. About 100 students were inspected for symptoms of malaria and other contagious disease. "Most disease spread due to ignorance about basic hygiene. Students do not have the time or the inclination to go to a doctor so we have started these programmes in college itself," said T Shiware, principal, Hinduja College.
Many schools have also organised seminars with doctors specialising in communicable disease to guide parents on how to detect early symptoms and use home remedies to cure monsoon-related disease.
At Monsoon and Child Health, a monsoon preparation campaign conducted by Billabong High International School in Santa Cruz, Dr Bhupendra Awasthi advised students on how to avoid falling ill during the monsoon season. Another school in Malad conducted a H1N1 awareness drive to let students and parents know about the precautions that have to be taken against H1N1.
St Xaviers High School in Borivli gave a circular to students, telling them about the dos and don'ts during monsoon. "Keep your home mosquito-free and keep a mosquito net around the bed. Drink boiled water as contaminated water can spread disease," read the circular. Schools are also passing on the message to students by making announcements during the school assembly about the precautions one needs to take to avoid falling ill during the monsoon.