The Health Department’s “Arogya Nandana”, a new initiative to test all children for COVID-19, has proposed to cover 6.5 lakh children in Mysuru district.
As of now, nearly 63,801 children had been covered under the initiative after the experts cautioned that the children are likely to be affected during the third wave of the pandemic. The programme was launched to lay emphasis on the health of children aged between 0 and 18 years, including those studying in private schools, who would undergo screening.
The missed dose of routine immunisation will be carried out for those aged between 0-5 and 10-16, a release from the department said.
The programme also aims to vaccinate school teachers and the staff of the schools. Parents of children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and co-morbidities would get vaccination on priority.
With the Department of Women and Child Development supporting the initiative, steps would be taken to supply ration to children. Teams constituted in each of the primary health centres will implement “Arogya Nandana”.
Children with low immunity and other co-morbidities will be identified for providing nutritious food and supplements for boosting their immunity. The children’s health will be monitored under the programme, the department said.
