Bangalore: Valistus International School in association with Aster Women and Children Hospital, Whitefield, organised one of its kind Health and Safety Expo recently. The two-day Expo, hosted various panel discussions and workshops to create awareness of children’s health. Medical health experts from Aster Women and Children Hospital threw light on the nuances of tackling pediatric issues like childhood bones, junk food, childhood nutrition, mental health issues, child safety, and digital detox.
Children are vulnerable to various illnesses and injuries that require immediate medical attention. Unfortunately, the majority of caregivers, parents, and teachers are not familiar with first-aid care for children. In times of emergency, there is usually panic followed by online suggestions and other informal practices to help the children, which may not work. Hence, the main objective of the health expo was to provide structured and informed training to caregivers.
Speaking on the need to organise such events, Arun Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Aster Women and Children Hospital, Whitefield, said: “This initiative provides training to address common childhood illnesses and injuries and offers guidance to parents, teachers, and caregivers on pediatric care. Taking care of children is an extremely delicate task as they are illness and accident-prone. This is true for children of all ages- from newborns, and infants to older kids who are almost fully grown. Hence, it is of utmost importance that anybody who has the responsibility of taking care of kids, whether it is a parent, teacher, babysitter, or older sibling should know the basics of responding in emergency situations.”
Commenting on the importance of the initiative, Venkatala Suresh Lolla, Head of School, at Valistus International School, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic presents a substantial additional health and safety risk that needs to be taken into account and accounted for in the school’s policy. With the aid of this health and safety training, we should be aware of these hazards as staff members and know how to mitigate them. The management of health and safety issues in a school involves all personnel significantly.”
The Expo focuses on providing a structured management method to control safety risks in regular school operations; it describes how schools can fulfil their responsibilities for students’ health, safety, and wellness. The future well-being and economic productivity of populations are significantly influenced by schools since they have a material impact on both health and education. The Expo saw student exhibitions on balanced meals, eye care and problems among young children, and the effects of digital devices on human relationships. More than 1000-plus government school children were also screened by Aster medical experts.
