Schools directed not to march students to hospitals for Health Certificates

GANGTOK, 10 July:  Parents of government school students have been spared the lengthy process of procuring Medical Fitness Certificates for their wards on their own in pursuance of the CBSE’s Comprehensive Continuous Evaluation programme.
The HRDD Secretary on Friday, directed all the district officials to inform the schools not to allow students to approach the hospitals for “blood grouping” anymore.

The move comes after the situation at STNM Hospital became almost uncontrollable on Friday as students from Government Schools poured into the hospital to procure fitness certificates. The rush happened because most of the schools directed students to submit fitness certificates after the summer vacation. All the schools are reopening on Monday.
At the hospital, both students and doctors were found confused on Friday. Students below Class VIII were returned from the Card Counter with directions that their fitness tests will be done at their respective schools and that the medical test will be done for students from Class IX to XII. This was also confirmed by the Additional Medical Superintendent when the confused parents approached his office.
At the same time, a doctor assigned to the School Health Education informed that it will be impossible for the Hospital to even check all the students and issue certificates even to the students of Class IX and above.
“All the doctors and technicians will have to be engaged for this job as a result of which OPD patients will face problems,” she said, adding that accessories such as syringes, gloves etc. meant for general patients are also almost out of stock.
When the matter was informed to the Health Secretary, Dr. Kumar Bhandari, he sought immediate help of the HRDD Secretary, CS Rao. After a couple of minutes of discussion, Mr. Rao decided to halt the programme for the time being.
In his letter to district officials Mr. Rao directs, “It has been reported that the students of Government schools are approaching District Hospitals and Primary Health Centres in groups for conducting their blood grouping. In this regard it is to inform that the hospitals are not in a position to handle such huge crowd at a time and this matter has been discussed with the Secretary, Health Department and decided to make some alternative for organizing this blood grouping at school level.”
The letter further states, ”For mobilizing the required manpower and identifying the agencies to conduct blood grouping test may take another few weeks. Till that time, all the schools may be informed not to allow their students to approach the hospitals for the blood grouping.”
As per CCE, the students above Class IX need blood grouping. But in Sikkim, it has been made mandatory for all students. As per the HRDD, only blood grouping is needed to be documented but the direction given by the schools directed the students to furnish details in their “Health Card” regarding vision, Dental Hygiene, height, weight, Asthmatic- Y/N, Specific Ailment, allergy- Y/N and blood test report.