Six mid-day meal samples collected Health Department team visits government schools; food samples sent to laboratory in Chandigarh

Bathinda, July 23
A team of the Health Department collected six samples of mid-day meals served in government schools. Headed by the District Health Officer Dr RS Randhawa and the food inspector Amrit Pal, the team collected two food samples each from a government primary school and government high school in Sanjay Nagar and from a government school in Naruana.

The team also visited government schools at village Kot Bakhtu and Kotshamir. But by the time the team arrived, the students already had been served mid-day meals.

Samples of wheat, rice and cooked vegetable (bottle gourd) were collected. The samples have been sent for testing to the government food testing laboratory in Chandigarh and the result is expected after 15 days.

Meanwhile, during the monthly meeting of senior medical officials of the districts convened today, the SMOs were asked to regularly visit schools serving mid-day meals and check hygiene in their kitchen to ensure that the children get clean and safe food.

Civil Surgeon Dr Ajay Sahni also directed the SMOs to seal the source of water wherein water samples have failed thrice in a row. "If the water is from the public health department, the officials concerned should be requested to chlorinate the source," h e added.

The SMOs were also asked to equip themselves with anti-venom medicines in case of a snake bite, which is common during the monsoon. Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr Vinod Garg discussed the Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana (RSBY) and the low response that it has evoked. He pointed out that not even a single OPD case or indoor patient's case has been examined under the scheme at the Women and Children Hospital, Bathinda, and the government hospitals at Bhagta, Nathana, Sangat and Maur. Various strategies, including inclusion of ASHA workers and ANMs in popularising the scheme at the grassroot level, were discussed. Dr Sahni said not even a single penny has to be charged from patients belonging to the BPL category under the RSBY as it is a cashless facility.

The issue of extending the working days of radiographers at the sub-division hospital in Ghudda was also discussed. At the Civil Hospital, the need for two more trained lab technicians in the dialysis unit was raised. The SMOs were asked to send slides for pap smear test as per the targets accorded to them. It is compulsory for women above 45 years of age to undergo pap smear test every six months.

Under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Sangat and Bhagta hospitals have not been able to attain the desired 100 per cent results, which was also discussed at the meeting. SMOs of Talwandi Sabo, Rampura and Ghudda were directed to maintain dengue wards and give medication as per the New Drug Policy Malaria 2010 in cases of malaria.

District Family and Health Welfare Officer Dr Ravanjit Kaur spoke about the targets and implementation of Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY). She pointed out that the scheme was running weak at the Talwandi Sabo hospital. The issue of hospitals not getting funds on time to pay the patients was also discussed.

Dr Rakesh Goel, Dr Ashok Monga and all the SMOs were present at the meeting. 

Fact file

• The team headed by District Health Officer Dr RS Randhawa and food inspector Amrit Pal collected two food samples each from a government primary school and government high school in Sanjay Nagar and from a government school in Naruana.
• The team also visited government schools at village Kot Bakhtu and Kotshamir. But by the time the team arrived, the students already had been served mid-day meals.
• Samples of wheat, rice and cooked vegetable (bottle gourd) were collected. The samples have been sent for testing to the government food testing laboratory in Chandigarh and the result is expected after 15 days.
• During the monthly meeting of senior medical officials of the districts convened on Tuesday, the SMOs were asked to regularly visit schools serving mid-day meals and check hygiene in their kitchen to ensure that the children get clean and safe food.
• Civil Surgeon Dr Ajay Sahni also directed the SMOs to seal the source of water where water samples have failed the test thrice in a row. "If the water is from the public health department, the officials concerned should be requested to chlorinate the source," he added.