Learning to stay healthy

Students in Cascia High School, Mangalore, learnt about personal hygiene after talks on health in their school recently. The talks were held for girls and boys by the Department of Community Medicine, Father Muller Medical College (FMMC). After attending the talk, Amar, Std IX, said“I learnt the importance of washing hands”. Akash, a Std VIII student, said, “Practising Yoga everyday is good for our health” while Janardhan, Std IX, said he learnt how to keep the body clean. Joel, Std VIII student, said, “I learnt about the importance of ‘Sooryanamaskar’”.

Shubhankar, Std IX, said that some of what the speakers said was new to him. Saurabh Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, FMMC, said the talk included teaching the students how to wash their hands correctly.

Respiratory tract infections can be prevented by washing of hands as many infections take the faeco-oral route. “We told the students they must wash their hands before eating, in lunch breaks, at restaurants, after going home. Just washing hands with water is not enough,” he said.

Platform to learn

Aaron, an MBBS intern, FMMC, said the students were told about how to deal with bad habits including drinking, smoking and handling peer pressure. Krishna Kottary, health educator, FMMC, said 135 students, from Stds VIII to X attended the talk.

The next health talk will be on ‘diseases caused due to mosquitoes and flies.’ Of the talk held for girls, one student said she learnt it was important to include high-iron foods in the diet. Another said, “I didn’t know lice caused infection, I was shocked (to learn that).” Sufala, crafts teacher, Cascia High School, said students are not aware of many issues as they hardly read books or papers. So such programmes do help them learn more about keeping themselves healthy.

Dr. R.Pai, Professor of Community Medicine, FMMC, said that the staff of the hospital deliver such talks in Mangalore and surrounding areas, especially those that are close to the hospital’s health centres. (Cascia School is next door to the Jeppu health centre). Lawrence D'Souza, Principal, Cascia High School, said the school wanted to inculcate a healthy attitude and value system among students so they would grow into adults with a balanced view. He said awareness on health was also the aim of the government's Department of Education.