KATHUA, OCT 5: In a significant push towards strengthening preventive healthcare among school-going children, Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma on Monday visited Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kathua, and interacted with students during a comprehensive medical camp organised by the Health Department.
The visit focused on assessing the delivery of healthcare services to students and reinforcing the administration’s emphasis on early health screening, timely intervention and health awareness as key components of student welfare. The Deputy Commissioner inspected the arrangements at the camp and interacted with students, enquiring about their health, academic routine and overall well-being.
Speaking to the students, Rajesh Sharma underlined that a healthy body and mind are essential for effective learning and long-term personal development. He encouraged the students to develop healthy habits at an early age, with particular emphasis on personal hygiene, nutritious and balanced food, regular physical activity and timely medical consultation.
The DC said preventive healthcare enables health concerns to be identified before they develop into serious problems and stressed the need for regular screening of students. He also encouraged the girls to become ambassadors of healthy living by sharing health and hygiene messages with their families and communities.
The administration, he said, is working to extend similar initiatives to educational institutions across Kathua district so that students can benefit from accessible health screening and professional medical advice within their educational environment. Such interventions, he added, can help strengthen health awareness while reducing the possibility of common health issues going unnoticed.
The medical camp offered students a multi-dimensional health assessment, covering blood pressure and weight monitoring, blood and haemoglobin testing, medical and dental examinations, counselling and general health assessment. The services were aimed not only at identifying immediate health concerns but also at creating greater awareness about nutrition, hygiene and healthy lifestyle choices.
The initiative brought together the Health and Education Departments in a coordinated effort to link student education with preventive healthcare, reinforcing the broader objective of ensuring that academic development is supported by physical well-being.
CMO Kathua Dr Vijay Raina, CEO Kathua Kewal Kishore, DEPO Anjana Manyal and officials of the concerned departments were present during the programme.
