Health camps for pre- school teachers

Samson PREMASIRI-Kalutara special corr

A special programme to improve the health standard among pre- school teaching staff in the Western Province has been launched by the Health, Probation and Childcare Provincial Ministry, said Provincial Minister Jagath Angage.

The initial project of this programme is being implemented in the Kalutara district, he added. Provincial Minister Angage said so after inaugurating a health camp for pre- school teachers at Kalutara Town Hall on Thursday. A large number of pre- school teachers from Kalutara, Panadura, Beruwala and Dodangoda attended the health camp.

Minister Angage said: "Pre- school teachers rendered a great national service by helping to transform children into disciplined citizens by giving them the initial grounding in life. Therefore, they should be in good health if they were to perform this task well." There are nearly 3,000 pre- school teachers in the Western Province and the ministry hopes to extend this programme to cover all of them.

"All teachers would be subjected to a medical check up and proper treatment will be offered to those suffering from ailments," Angage said. Urban people in particular contract communicable diseases quite easily. Therefore, remedial action should be taken by paying special attention to this factor, he added. He said health authorities had warned that even some children in Grade 5 classes had been diagnosed as having diabetes and as such parents should pay special attention to this matter.

Kalutara UC Chairman M M Jaufer, Provincial Director General of Health Services Dr Amal Harsha de Silva, Kalutara Health Services Director Dr Udaya Ratnayake and D J Rajakaruna also spoke.