A new chapter in student health promotion began on October 28, 2024, as representatives from the Ministries of Health & Family Welfare, School Education & Literacy, and Human Resource Development joined forces with school leaders to roll out the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP) at Penli Community Hall in Mokokchung.
According to Dr Bilva Yalie, Medical Officer at UPHC Siekhazou Kohima, SHWP aims to increase knowledge about health and nutrition, encourage positive attitudes, and enhance life skills to promote informed, responsible, and healthy behavior among school-going children. The program empowers adolescents as agents of change or “health messengers,” enabling them to spread key health messages within their communities. It also establishes robust linkages between schools, Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs), and Adolescent-Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) to ensure a continuum of care between HWCs, higher facilities, schools, and communities.
In this regard, Dr Yalie mentioned that each institution’s Principal or Headmaster, along with two Health & Wellness Ambassadors (HWAs) — teachers — and two Health & Wellness Messengers (HWMs) — students — will coordinate with the Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme (AB-SHWP) to play a vital role “in fostering growth, development, and educational achievement of school-going children by promoting their health and well-being.”
The SHWP also aims to sensitize parents to the needs of growing children, engaging students and institutions in “Eleven Themes of Curriculum.” The eleven themes are: Growing Up Healthy, Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health, Interpersonal Relationships, Values and Responsible Citizenship, Nutrition/Health & Sanitation, Gender Equality, Prevention & Management of Substance Misuse, Promotion of Healthy Lifestyle, Reproductive Health and HIV Prevention, Promotion of Safe Use of Internet/Gadgets & Media, and Safety & Security Against Violence & Injuries.
According to an update from the CMO of Mokokchung, the AB-SHWP will continue to train the HWAs and HWMs in a batch-wise training program from October 29 to 30, 2024, at the CMO Conference Hall and Penli Community Hall.
The trainer for the program are Dr Tinurenla Anichari, SNO (RKSK) NHM Nagaland, Sudan Sonar Sr Program Manager (IT) SPMU, NHM Nagaland, Dr Rupert Peseyie, SNO- Maternal Health-NHM Nagaland, Dr Longri Kichu, Program Officer- UNICEF, Dr Bilva Yalie, MO-UPHC Siekhazou-Kohima, Zubeni N Ngullie, Lecturer-DIET-Mokokchung, Dr Limanaro, DPO-RCH-CMO Mokokchung, Dr Arenkaba, MO (RBSK) Mokokchung and Dr Suimzenla, MO (RBSK) Mokokchung.