The State Chapter of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) has appealed to the State government to include a fruit in the daily mid day meal of school children.
It has also recommended banning junk food from school campuses and making 45 minutes of aerobic exercise compulsory to guard against childhood obesity and early onset of hypertension and cardiac problems in the recently concluded state conference in Tirunelveli.
Listing the resolutions passed in the conference, K.Muthukumar, State president, said the academy has called for government intervention in preventing childhood orthopaedic problems by ensuring that school bags did not weigh more than 10 per cent of the child's total body weight.
Maintaining that the mother tongue as the medium of instruction in schools would benefit children, the IAP has mooted that English be taught as a second language with focus on communication skills.
While thanking the State government and Chief Minister for extending maternity leave up to 6 months, introducing neonatal (new born) ambulance facilities and free sanitary napkins for rural girls, the body has requested for addition of ragi, wheat and kambu along with free supply of 20 kilos of rice, for ensuring a balanced diet.
The IAP has also asked for inclusion of one of its academy member in the Tamil Nadu Health Advisory Board.
Dr.Muthukumar, lauded the efforts of paediatricians in attaining one of the Millennium Development Goals by bringing down infant mortality rate to 28 per 1000 live births and under five mortality to 33, much ahead of the target year, 2015.
He called upon paediatricians to refrain from carrying out needless medical investigations on new born babies. It is the responsibility of the doctors to explain physiological and biochemical changes occurring in infancy and ensure young mothers are not intimidated with pregnancy or childbirth, he added.
Sukumaran, national president of the IAP was the chief guest. Namachivayam from Cuddalore was honoured with senior paediatrician award and Hemalatha David was bestowed the active paediatrician award. The Cuddalore branch bagged the overall good performance award.
