Bihar govt to provide free health check-ups to 1.75 crore schoolchildren in state

PATNA: The Nitish Kumar government on Tuesday directed the Bihar health department to conduct health check-ups in government schools where over one crore students are enrolled. The state government will also provide free treatment to all those who are diagnosed with any ailments. 

While sharing this, Dr Ashok Kumar Chaudhary said that the health checkups of 1.75 crore schoolchildren are being done by department personnel at their schools. 

"The health checkups of children below six years of age will be conducted at the Anganwadi centres of their schools," Chaudhary said further adding that the health cards of all 1.75 crore children will be made for offering them treatments in the near future. 

Through these health cards, schoolchildren will be given free treatment by the government.  

The principal secretary of the education department Sanjay Kumar said that this initiative is a part of an ongoing scheme from the health department which is called 'Rashtriya Balak Swasthya Karyakram' or National Child Health Programme. 

The education and health departments have collaborated to monitor the scheme, Kumar further added. 

In Bihar as per the official report, there are up to 72,663 schools including 42,573 primary, 25,587 upper primary, 2286 secondary and 2217 senior secondary- levels.