New Delhi : Aishwarya Pathak, co-founder of VDOC Lifesciences Private Limited, explains why it’s important to provide health services in schools and how VDOC’s evidence-based telemedicine solution is perfect for this. Children’s health and schooling are inextricably linked. Children’s health is directly related to their ability to learn and succeed academically. When kids are healthy, they are more likely to go to school regularly, pay attention in class, and do well academically. Children’s overall growth and development can be stunted by poor health, which leads to missed school and poor academic performance.
As a result, schools have a responsibility to act as health promoters for their students from an early age by encouraging healthy behaviours. The use of telemedicine in this context is promising. Our findings suggest that schools do not routinely have a doctor on staff but instead call one as needed or arrange for students to be transported to the nearest hospital in the event of a medical emergency. However, VDOCs can help, providing immediate relief to students and aiding in the early detection of health and developmental issues in children.
Iron, zinc, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iodine deficiencies, among others, have been linked to a wide range of serious health problems, including an increased risk of contracting an infection, going blind, failing to reach one’s full height and weight potential, experiencing cognitive decline, having trouble learning and remembering new information, and even dying. Due to their high requirements, young children, adolescent girls, and women aged 15 to 49 are particularly susceptible to the effects of micronutrient deficiency. In addition, the symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies are often nonspecific, making it difficult to diagnose and leading to the term “hidden hunger.” Children’s physical health, social and emotional well-being, and self-esteem are all negatively impacted by obesity, a form of malnutrition that is more common in urban areas. Children who are overweight or obese are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as other chronic illnesses, at a younger age than their healthy peers.
Because of its low cost and convenience, telemedicine is a great tool for keeping tabs on students’ general health, including their vital signs and symptoms, while they are at school. Because they appreciate the significance of keeping tabs on their health, students will be more invested in doing so. In addition, it will assist them in developing a mindset that prioritises health through preventative measures, which should benefit them well into adulthood. When it comes to children’s mental health, telemedicine can facilitate remote access to services like therapy and counselling that can help them better manage issues like stress and anxiety, which can have a negative impact on their development and schoolwork. The time and money saved by not having students miss school for medical appointments is a major benefit of telemedicine services provided in educational settings.
VDOC provides an evidence-based telemedicine service with its cutting-edge technology that allows students to save time by receiving medical consultations and follow-up care at school from doctors of various specialities at a reasonable cost, eliminating the need for them to travel outside of school for medical appointments, saving time and money for parents or guardians who would otherwise have to take time off work to accompany their child to a medical appointment.
Furthermore, health services in schools can impart critical data to the government for improving governance initiatives such as the Midday Meal Scheme, which helps enhance the nutritional status of children. Per our research, biomarkers for micronutrient status are rarely included in population and health-based surveys, leaving a significant evidence gap on the burden of micronutrient malnutrition within countries and globally. Regular health monitoring in schools can provide valuable information regarding children’s nutritional deficits and health concerns.
Furthermore, telemedicine can assist in finding tangible information on the impact of air pollution, arsenic water contamination, and fluoride levels in water on children’s health and development. All these make children vulnerable and can lead to severe diseases if exposed for an extended period. The observations from regular health monitoring can be applied to track the outcomes of existing schemes and policies, address the shortcomings of current policies, and develop better public health policies. For instance, suppose a public school conducts routine dental check-ups on its students and discovers that most have high fluoride levels. This information is critical for the school or the relevant government authority to investigate the cause of such high fluoride levels early. Subsequently, appropriate measures can be taken to reduce the current and future health risks associated with high fluoride intake.
As a result, telemedicine can be instrumental in routine health surveillance that helps identify not only the health risks of an individual but also the community at large, ultimately bolstering India’s public health system. The situation post-COVID-19 presents us with an opportunity to reconsider the type of school we want to have in the future. VDOC can be a capable partner in integrating India’s healthcare and education systems, ensuring that future generations are healthy and resilient to future pandemics by being proactive and health-conscious since childhood.
TAGS: VDOC Lifesciences Private Limited,Aishwarya Pathak,Healthcare and Education Systems
