BMC school students to get health cards after extensive tests

All India Institute of Local Self-Government in collaboration with Parent's Association - Thalassemic Unit Trust (PATUT) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has planned to provide health cards to the students of class 8, 9 and 10 from November 21.
The cards would have details such as ideal diet for children, giving guidance to their parents.
The cards will be issued to the 52,000 students from 481 municipal schools after a health check-up including blood examination at a series of camps in the next 50 days, said Milind Sawant, Deputy Municipal Commissioner.
Addressing a press conference, state Industry Minister Subhash Desai who is also guardian minister of Mumbai said, "During the health check-up camps, blood samples of the students will be taken to ascertain (if they have) anaemia and thalassemia and if they are found to be suffering from these disorders they will be treated at our expense."

Pankaj Udhas, noted singer and chairman of PATUT, a charitable trust, said, "We are working hard for the betterment of Thalassemic children and this drive is another milestone in our 30 years' enviable journey." The trust had launched another branch in Nashik city, he informed.
Giving details of the drive, Sawant said, "Health tests will be conducted on students from BMC schools after getting the consent from parents. Blood samples will be run through some 18 tests which will reveal child's blood group, anaemia and thalassaemia conditions, if any".
"The test results will be provided to students via a computerised health card which can be referred to by them for any future medical treatment," he added.

Rashmikant Shah, a senior associate from PATUT, said, "During our screenings in previous years, we have found that 4 per cent students suffer from Thalassemia while 25 per cent people have been found anaemic including few jawans of Mumbai police.