Editor,
On one fine day, a health camp was organized in a government school. In that health camp, a student in class 9 was diagnosed with hepatitis, and the doctor has advised her to seek further medical attention in TRIHMS. The student, who stays with her elder brother, called one of her teachers in the evening and informed him that her brother told her to go to the hospital by herself, whereas she has no idea where the TRIHMS hospital is. Yet, with little information from her teacher, the next day, she went to Naharlagun in search of TRIHMS. She was absent for two days. After 2 days, when she returned, her teacher asked, “What happened? Did you meet the doctor?,” the student said, “Yes, I did. The first day I failed to meet the doctor, as the doctor visit was on alternative days. On the next day, when I met the doctor, he told me to do certain tests, and sadly, not all the tests are free, and some of the tests cannot be testable inside the TRIHMS. I only did those tests, which are free.” So the teacher asked, “When will you do the rest of the test?,” she replied, “Sir, I don’t even have the money for the tracker fare.” Then there was silence for a moment, but that silence says everything.
Another similar story, this time about a boy in class 5. The teacher noticed that the student had been absent for the last 5 days, so a subject teacher called his father and informed him about his absences from school. In exchange, the father informed him that the child is sick, and for that reason, he is not attending school. A few days later, when the student finally returned, the teacher gently asked, ” I heard that you were sick; now are you ok? He didn’t say anything but lower his head and start to cry. Then the teacher came near him and asked, “What happened.” The student said, “Miss, the doctor has advised me to perform a CT scan, but my father didn’t have that much money to conduct the CT scan, and he said to me we will do it once he manages the required amount. So we returned home, and I took bed rest for 3-4 days. But that day never came, and I was also missing school, so I told my father that I wanted to go to school; however, I still have pain in my neck.”
Sadly, in many government schools, there are many like the two students who are silently suffering such misfortune because of financial constraints.
The remedies for such challenges lie in the operating process of CMAAY. A mere reformation in CMAAY can be a blessing for students. As of present, CMAAY is only restricted to secondary and tertiary treatment, which means that one can avail of the benefits of this health insurance card only if that person is admitted. Thus, if the competent authorities make some reforms by including primary treatment exclusively, for students of government schools, then the concept of affordable healthcare services can reach its zenith. If such initiatives can be possible, then it will be an encouragement for the parent and the guardian to send their children to school.
Health is an essential part of the holistic development of a child and also of the growth and development of the child’s cognitive area. Therefore, a child’s health is equally important.
Moreover, the government school is the home of many underprivileged children, and if the primary treatment can be included in the present CMAAY exclusively for the students of government schools, then it can be a major boost to the holistic development of a child. Health is directly connected with a child’s mental growth and development, and even if there is a small room for reformation that is practical and will benefit the child’s education, then such reformation should be taken into consideration.
Keyom Doni
(keyomdoni123@gmail.com)