ANMs to be deployed in SC/ST schools

BHUBANESWAR: Rising concern over lack of proper healthcare  services for the students and boarders of the residential schools under the ST and SC Department has prompted the Government to deploy   auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs) in such institutions. The Government is all set to recruit as many as 336 ANMs and depute them to the ST and SC Development Department hostels to look after the healthcare, sanitation and hygiene requirements of the inmates there. The Director of Family Welfare has been instructed to carry out the recruitment through CDMOs in consultation with the Collectors of the districts concerned, project administrators of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDAs) and district welfare officers.  About 269 ANMs would be engaged for 993 schools in the tribal sub-plan (TSP) areas while 67 would be appointed for 604 schools in non-TSP areas. The objective is to ensure healthcare providers exclusively for the inmates of the residential schools for ST and SC children. Since most of the schools are  located in remote areas, access to regular  healthcare and in times of need has emerged as a big problem.  As per statistics on health problems in schools, the bulk of the diseases are waterborne or pertaining to fever, which are not serious initially but could take  a turn for the worse if not attended in time. In many cases timely assistance is delayed due to the remote locations of the schools and hostels. The ANMs, thus, would be exclusively engaged in monitoring health of the boarders, to detect early diseases and symptoms and arrange for treatment. They would also be responsible for improving  sanitation and hygiene in the facilities and prevent outbreak of diseases. They would also create an awareness on health and hygiene among the ST and SC students. One ANM would be engaged for three to five closely located schools, taking one block as a unit in a district. They would be stationed in an Ashram school in such a way that at least three to five schools can be covered by them. Besides, medical officers would be attached to the schools to ensure regular checkups of the inmates and monitor the performance of the ANMs.