Ludhiana: BP check drive during PTM fails to meet target in govt schools

The district education department had directed over 400 middle, high and senior secondary schools to hold health camps during the PTM- a day typically dedicated to discussing students’ academic progress and personal growth

A pilot health awareness project launched in Ludhiana under the Mission Swastha Kavach campaign, which aimed to involve government school students in checking the blood pressure (BP) of visiting parents during the parent-teacher meeting (PTM) on Friday, failed to meet the education department’s expectations. The target was to screen 40,000 visitors, but only 5,100 individuals could be covered during the drive.

Students checking blood pressure of parents during their meeting with teachers in a school in Ludhiana on Friday. (Manish/HT)

The district education department had directed over 400 middle, high and senior secondary schools to hold health camps during the PTM- a day typically dedicated to discussing students’ academic progress and personal growth. The initiative sought to blend education with public health awareness by engaging students directly in a real-world medical activity.

Under the campaign, each school was asked to conduct a BP check-up for at least 100 people. Students were trained in taking three readings per individual under the supervision of their teachers. To support this effort, a team of doctors from Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) trained teachers and students from participating schools.

Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, nodal officer of the programme, said, “The aim was to make students aware of how to check blood pressure and give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of emergencies. Many lives are lost to sudden cardiac arrest, and this initiative was meant to prepare the younger generation to act in such situations.” She added that 500 BP machines were provided by DMCH to the education department for the project.

In most of the schools, groups of four to five students performed the BP checks while teachers documented the data, noting each parent’s gender, readings, contact number and whether they suffered from hypertension. Of the 5,100 people screened, more than 350 were found to be hypertensive, according to preliminary records.

However, not everyone welcomed the initiative. Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, criticised the move, saying, “The PTM is meant for teachers to interact with parents, discuss students’ performance and address their concerns. Turning it into a health camp diverted attention from the real purpose of the day.”

While the project struggled to meet its ambitious target, officials maintained that the experiment was a step toward promoting health awareness and practical learning among students. “The idea was to see that if successful, the model would be implemented across the state,” Ahuja said.