Only 32 pc kids get treatment

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 16

Call it negligence on the part of the district administration or the lack of funds to run the scheme, only 4,623 (32 per cent) of the 14,189 children detected with various chronic diseases under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) last year have been treated by the Health Department so far.

The ‘Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Services Programme launched under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare aims at the early detection and management of the 4Ds prevalent in children. These majorly include the Defects at birth, Diseases in children, Deficiency conditions and Development delays, including Disabilities. The project deals with early detection and management of a set of 30 health conditions prevalent in children less than 18 years of age.

The scheme, however, was hit due to the lackadaisical attitude of the departments concerned. Although 169 students studying in various government and government-aided schools were detected with congenital heart disease last year, only 66 children were brought for the treatment. Also, only two out of the 22 children detected with the Down syndrome are getting the treatment as of now. While 1,489 children were detected with anaemia, only 215 were provided the treatment so far till February 2017.

Out of the 3,378 children with vision impairment, only 1,868 have approached the doctors for the treatment. Similarly, out of the 6,253 children reported with dental disorder last year, only 2,168 have availed the treatment at the government hospital. The situation is grim in case of other ailments too.

While only 88 of the 931 children detected with acute skin problems have come for the treatment, only 1,913 of the total 3,927 children detected with development delays, including disabilities, have so far reported for the treatment at the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar.

Dr Tarsem Singh, District Immunisation Officer (DIO) and nodal officer for the RBSK scheme in the district, said a major problem was that after being referred to the Civil Hospital, children did not report for the treatment. “A major problem is the lack of transportation facility associated with the programme. As the programme aims at students studying in various government and government-aided schools, majority of them belong to poor families and their parents cannot afford to leave a day’s wage and also to hire a transportation facility to bring their child regularly to the hospital,” said Dr Singh.

He, however, said the department had proposed to notify two designated days to cater exclusively to RBSK children. “We have proposed to designate Friday and Saturday for the check-up of the RBSK children,” said Singh.