The Directorate of Education, Goa (DoE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Sankalp: Sampoorna Swasthya, a drive towards comprehensive preventive healthcare for school going children with Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant today at Altinho Panaji.
Raising the concern of non communicable disease such as Diabetis, hypertension which is on rise in school children, Chief Minister said the program will help to give guidance and training to teachers, students and parents by the Doctors of Indian Academy of Pediatrics which will focus on physical, mental health and to inculcate good balance diets amongst the students. Chief Minister applauded Indian Academy of Pediatrics for conducting the workshop free of cost which will support Prime Minister Campaign of Fit India Movement.
Dr Upendra Kinjawadekar, President of Indian Academy of Pediatrics explaining about the program said the flagship program will be started from next academic year and will target five core goals of improving nutritional literacy, encouraging physical activity, regulating screen time, children’s positive mental health, risk of substance abuse that can have long-term effect on the health of the child. This will cover age group from 3yrs to 14 yrs. Through training, capacity building, and monitoring, we will reach teachers, educators and parents he added.
Also present on the occasion were Shri Shailesh Zingde, Director, Directorate of Education, Shri Nagaraj Honnekeri, Director, State Council of Educational Research & Training Goa (SCERT), Shri Shambu Ghadi, State Project Director, GOA SAMAGRA SHIKSHA, Dr. Harshad Kamat, IAP Goa, Dr Virendra Gaonkar, IAP Goa along with the officials of Directorate of Education.