state plans to cover 6 cr children in 2-16 age group

The state and health family welfare department has decided to launch a child health guarantee scheme for the children in the age group of 2- 16 years. The scheme named Ashirvad-Bal Swasthya Yojana will be launched by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav this month.

The state and health family welfare department has decided to launch a child health guarantee scheme for the children in the age group of 2- 16 years. The scheme named Ashirvad-Bal Swasthya Yojana will be launched by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav this month.

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The department had been running a school health programme for the children enrolled in government schools. Under the new scheme, however, children enrolled in government schools, government aided schools, studying in child labour schools, social welfare department schools, informal schools, madarsas, orphanage, juvenile delinquent homes, non schoolgoing children, children of the families residing in brick kilns, children of labourers working at construction sites and nomadic tribes will be covered.

Mission director, national rural health mission (NRHM), Mukesh Meshram on Sunday said the scheme would be launched in three stages. In the first, all schoolgoing and non schoolgoing children would be screened and a health card issued to them. In the second phase, a medical team would carry out health checkup of the children. In the third stage, sick children would be referred to hospitals for treatment.

The state government plans to spend Rs. 136.98 crore on the scheme.