Nutrition, clean water and successful health referrals!
Mother and child care: Immunization continues randomly in all our villages. Students at age five were given DTP second booster and 10 years olds were administered with TT.
Balwadi programme runs with the strength of 55 children in both the centres.13 new kids joined balwadi this year. Noon meals and nutritional powder were provided to children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
We have great concern over the adolescents in the community. To build rapport with them and do a regular programme, we started a learning center for them. Our balwadi teacher will teach them basic reading and writing during the evening hours.
During the last two months many of the villages in Jawadhi hills had an epidemic of chicken pox 17 children in Kupsoor and Pananagkateri schools were also infected. Seb’s communicated with the Odugathur Primary Health center and immediately mobile clinic visited the villages and treatment were given on the same day. All our children are now keeping good health.
Along with it the government Dengue fever awareness were given to the community. People were taught the ill effects of the fever. They were instructed to drink boiled water and keep their surroundings clean.
Water and Sanitation programme continues to be the focus for this year. Since all our water points have been tested we have chlorinated all the overhead water tanks in our villages. We approached the government to supply chlorine tablets. This has had a big impact on the health of our children. Our teachers have observed fewer children falling sick since the water has been made safe for drinking.
We have selected Thandayankottai village and Periyapannaparai villages to roll out the sanitation program as these communities feel the need for toilets and have come forward with a request to build toilets. We conducted a survey in these communities and have submitted information to the District Government official to facilitate the building of the toilets under their sanitation scheme for the district. We were able to meet the District Rural Development officer Mr. Periyaswamy and discussed our concern to initiate sanitation program in Periyapanapari and Thandayankotai villages.
Health referrals: Ajith Kumar is a tribal student studying in class eight in a boarding school in Vellore Town. During a medical camp in school, he had complainted of breathing difficulties. The Odugathur Primary Health Center had diagnosed him to have ventricular septal defect. The PHC doctors referred Ajith Kumar to Sebs school teacher for treatment assistance.
At first Sebs helped Ajith Kumar’s family to access the Chief Ministers Health Insurance scheme. Ajith Kumar was admitted on 31.08.16 at Fortis Malar hospital in Chennai. After routine investigation, doctors conducted bypass surgery on 12.09.16. On 15.09.16 he was discharged from hospital and his health has improved considerably and he is back in school.
