Health camps vital for a healthy nation

By L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

A teacher explaining good health habits to the participants at the Vijaya National School health camp.

Health Camps organised by the Kambussawela Maha Vidyalaya and Getamanne Vijaya National school in Tangalle were immensely useful to the students and their local community, Tangalle Zonal Education Director S.H. Sunil said.

He said children should not be mere prisoners of the classrooms. They need a change and should mix with the society. Health camps gave a golden opportunity equally to the students, teachers, parents, and elders to work together for their own welfare, specially the improvement of their health.

He said that the Education Department appreciated such activities which fall in line with the school curriculum.

"The students in the rural schools tend to believe that they have no future although they pursue their studies delightedly. Some of the specialists and Doctors, Nutritionists who attended the health camps were old students of Kambussawela and Getamanne government schools. Their presence on the occasion rekindled in the students a spirit of dedication and commitment to continue their higher studies in pursuit of lofty

careers.

Japanese Prof. Hiroshi Kobayashi, and Daisuke Nonaka with the students at the health camp.

A senior student addressing the participants.

Professor Hiroshi Kobayashi - Director General of Sapporo Cancer Seminar Foundation said that members of the local community including parents and relatives of the students became interested in health issues through the school health camps. Many people took their blood pressure reading at the camp for the first time in their lives. The senior students took a keen interest in welcoming the elders, and visitors and taking them for consultation, the Professor said. Explaining the school based health program implemented in four rural schools in Beliatte and Tangalle, Professor Kobayashi said that the objective of the program was to change the lifestyle of the community through developing hidden potential of primary and middle school students. This program gave us the first hand experience through the schoolchildren which was more effective than directly approaching the community, he said.

"The children helped change the unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, taking liquor and eating oily food. After observing the positive effects repead by the children of Sri Lanka during the last ten years and their impact on their community, it is worthwhile considering its application in Japan as well, he said.

In addition to the free medical consultation by the Doctors of Beliatte, Tangalle, and Udugama government hospitals, a series of health education activities to improve the physical and mental conditions were conducted by the students under the guidance of the school teachers. Medicine prescribed by the camp doctors were supplied free of charge. Hambantota district MP Namal Rajapaksa had released the funds for the free medicine at the Getamanne Vijaya National School health camp.

A special News letter "Vijaya puwath" consisting useful information on good health practices was issued by the students of the Getamanne school.

Vijaya National school principal J.D.P.L. Jayasekera said the school health promotion program conducted during last four years under the guidance and the assistance of the Sapporo Cancer Seminar Foundation of Japan had become a community development research program more than a mere health promotion program.

"We had a similar health camp in 2007. We noticed a remarkable improvement in the students who actively participated for the health promotion activities. The level of studies has shown a remarkable improvement, she said. The schoolchildren had rendered a vital service to the community through the school health promotion program in preventing diseases such as cancer, and blood pressure, she said.

Prof. Hiroshi Kobayashi, Professor Emeritus Hokkaido University, DG, Sapporo cancer seminar foundation, Daisuke Nonaka, Research Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and International Health Research Institute. Japan Akiko Nanri, Researcher of Department of Epidemiology and International Health, Japan, Representatives of Tangalle Educational Zone office, Doctors of Beliatte, Tangalle and Udugama government hospitals, Representatives of public health office in Beliatta P.S. Dahanayaka, Principal Kambussawela Maha Vidyalaya, J.D.P.L. Jayasekera, Principal Getamanne Vijaya National School with the teaching staffs participated in the health camps.