The Health Department is joining hands with the Education Department to launch a comprehensive school health program “Aksharam Arogyam” to ensure the overall health and well-being of the young generation of the State.
The initiative will cover all students from classes I to XII in all government and aided schools across the state. The health department believes that if children are given proper awareness on various aspects of health and encouraged to develop healthy habits, they will become ambassadors of good health and convey the message to their families.
Under the Aksharam Arogyam programme, children will be screened for various health parameters and issued health cards documenting their medical details. These cards can later be converted into electronic health records and stored securely in the state data center with complete privacy and data security measures. Electronic health records will be helpful in emergency situations.
All schools joining this initiative will organize ‘Health Sabhas’ and ‘Health Corners’ to encourage healthy lifestyle and discourage unhealthy habits.
In each school, a designated teacher will act as a health advisor. These teachers will undergo training based on modules jointly prepared by the health and education departments. They will provide structured health education to students at regular intervals covering 11 topics across four major domains. School authorities will have to allocate specific time slots and facilities to teachers to impart health education.
Health education will be provided in an age-appropriate manner. The program is designed in such a way that it arouses curiosity among children, inculcates scientific understanding and ensures their active participation in all health related activities and initiatives. The program is designed such that the information and awareness the students gather will reach their families, gain acceptance within the families, before it is widely accepted by the entire community.
To ensure active student participation, one or two students from each class will be selected as health ambassadors, who will disseminate the messages and health-related information given by teachers among their peers in a more engaging manner.
The Health Department believes that this initiative will further strengthen the ongoing school health initiatives such as iron and folic acid supplementation, adolescent health programmes, vaccination campaigns and menstrual hygiene initiatives.
Through Aksharam Aarogyam, students and teachers will also be trained in providing basic first aid, which will enable them to provide assistance during health emergencies at school or provide immediate assistance in case of emergencies occurring at school or at home.
This program will also help in early identification of any health problem in children and its timely solution. This is expected to directly contribute to the mental and physical well-being of children and promote academic excellence.
Health Minister Veena George will inaugurate Aksharam Arogyam at Cotton Hill Government Higher Secondary School on Friday. Education Minister V. Sivankutty will preside over the function.
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published – February 04, 2026 08:52 PM IST
