Mangalore : Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim has informed that   a team of 16 doctors has been formed  to  undertake the health check-up of students studying from Classes I to X in  the government, aided, private and unaided schools in the district during the year 2014-15 under the Suvarna Arogya Chaitanya Scheme.

He was speaking at a meeting held at his office on Tuesday July 22 to review the progress in the implementation of the scheme.

Dr Rukmini, District RCH Officer who spoke on the occasion said  97 per cent progress was registered under the scheme during the year 2013-14 by   conducting the medical examination of 3,20,276 children out of the total 3,13,007 children studying in various schools of the district.

She said of the total children examined, 46,407 children were found to be suffering from health problems and of them 10,066 children have been treated in various hospitals. Similarly, 13,288 children were treated in PHCs. Of them 12 children who needed emergency treatment were admitted to hospitals under Yashaswini network and 11 children were even operated upon, Dr Rukmini informed.

The Deputy Commissioner said most children faced from dental   problems and that one in every ten children faced such problems. He also instructed the DDPI to  make arrangements for dental check-up of students with the assistance of  some tooth paste company within the  next 15 days.

Dr Shivakumar, District Health and Family Welfare Officer informed the meeting that iron tablets were distributed to school children to  help fight anaemia. Two packets of sanitary napkins were also  provided every month to  female students studying in classes from VI to ten. The same are supplied free of cost to schools and hostels, he informed.

Moses Jayashekhar, DDPI  stated that 1477 children are  out of schools in the district and that the Marali Shaalege Baa campaign has begun from July 15.

Taluk medical officials as well as officials of various departments attended the meeting.