The Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Ayush Ministry on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding paving the way for their collaboration on a nationwide health screening and management programme for about 20,000 tribal students enrolled in 55 Eklavya Model Residential Schools across the country.
The government, in a statement, called it a “Joint National Level Project of Health Screening and Management through Ayurvedic Interventions”, adding that the idea is to have a special focus on anaemia, haemoglobinopathies, malnutrition and tuberculosis and develop an “integrated approach” for the management of these diseases.
The programme will target children aged between 10 and 18 years, studying in Classes 6 to 12. “Efforts will be made to inculcate healthy lifestyle practices among students as per the principles of Ayurveda,” the government statement said.
At the signing of the MoU on Wednesday, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said, “Starting a national level project on health screening and management will help in identifying the prevalence of diseases and health management among our Eklavya students. It will help in developing healthy lifestyle practices in children as per the principles of Ayurveda, thereby improving and protecting their health and overall well-being with emphasis on prevention of diseases. There should be a medicinal plant garden in the schools to make our future generation aware about the importance of traditional medicines in our citizen’s lives.”
Ayush Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the effort to have both Ministries combine resources to study and address the health needs of tribal populations in the country.
The Ministry of Ayush, through its research council, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, has taken this health initiative with joint efforts of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and ICMR-NIRTH, Jabalpur.
