Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 21 May 2024
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) team has completed a comprehensive health screening of children in Campbell Bay from the second week of April to the first week of May 2024. This initiative, aimed at enhancing the overall quality of life for children, involves screening for defects at birth, diseases, deficiencies, and developmental delays to ensure early detection, treatment, and management.
The RBSK (Nicobar) team, including Dr. Deepika Sharma (Medical Officer, Ayurveda), Dr. Jiji Paul (Medical Officer, Homoeopathy), Mr. Arun Kumar (Male Nurse), Ms. Selina (Pharmacist), Mr. Brij Mangal Rai (Psychiatric Social Worker), and Mr. Gourav Dhamija (Special Educator), conducted the screenings at local schools and Anganwadi Centres. They were joined by Dr. Veerender Sandhu Singh, a Dental Surgeon from PHC Campbell Bay.
Children identified with health issues were promptly referred to PHC Campbell Bay for appropriate treatment and management, ensuring they could lead healthier lives. The program also included a National Birth Defect awareness campaign, educating parents about birth defects and nutritional deficiencies.
In addition to the screenings, the RBSK team provided training on peer education for adolescents, ASHAs, ANMs, and selected peer educators at PHC Campbell Bay. This training aims to empower community health workers and adolescents with knowledge and skills to support child health and development.
The RBSK team, along with Dr. Juliet James (Medical Officer in charge of PHC Campbell Bay), Nursing Officer, and Mukhya Sevika, extended their efforts to tribal areas including Makachua, Pulo Panja, and Afra Bay. They conducted screenings and health awareness programs in these remote regions, ensuring that even the most isolated communities received vital health services.
Through early identification and intervention, the RBSK team is fostering an equitable child healthcare approach. This initiative not only reduces healthcare costs and disease burden but also improves awareness and promotes the health and development of children in the community.