The inaugural session of the Workshop for School Health & Wellness Ambassadors on the Implementation of the Life Skills Curriculum, as part of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP)

Namchi, February 18(IPR): The inaugural session of the Workshop for School Health & Wellness Ambassadors on the Implementation of the Life Skills Curriculum, as part of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP), was conducted at the conference hall of District Hospital Namchi, today.
Organised as part of Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in collaboration with the Sikkim INSPIRES (Integrated Service Provision and Innovation for Reviving Economies) initiative, the workshop is facilitated
by the Namchi Health & Family Welfare Department.
The inaugural programme was attended by Mr Subash Ghimirey ADC Namchi as the chief guest, and Mr Suraj Rai CEO (Education) as the guest of honour. Present amongst others, were,Dr Raju Singh DMS,
Dr BK Chauhan DRCHO, Mrs Bijay Laxmi Rai CNO, Mrs Jayanti Sharma DPHNO alongwith Resource Persons Ms Anu Naibedhya Rai, Ms Babita Pradhan, Ms Swarlata Pradhan, Ms Pema Yangkila Bhutia and Dr Shiwani Pradhan and participanting teachers from various schools of Namchi District.
This workshop is aimed to train the teachers on many life style skills, encompassing the 11 identified themes namely, 1- Growing up Healthy 2- Emotional Well-being and Mental Health 3 – Interpersonal Relationships 4 -Values and Citizenship 5-Gender equality 6 – Nutrition, Health and sanitation 7-Prevention and management of Substance Misuse 8 – Promotion of healthy life style 9-Reproductive Health and HIV prevention 10-Safety and security against violence and injuries 11 -Promotion of safe use of internet and social media behaviours. After the completion, they will serve as master trainers in their respective schools to fosters the physical and mental well-being of the school children, addressing critical issues such as mental health, nutrition, reproductive health, and many more
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Subash Ghimiray, ADC Namchi, emphasized the crucial role of participants in implementing the programme in schools. He highlighted the concerning increase in unnatural deaths due to various contributing factors and stressed that the programme aims to address the root causes to prevent such incidents, thereby shaping the lives of the younger generation. He also elucidated the significant impact parents have on their children’s mental well-being and behavior, urging that parents be equally educated to help safeguard their children’s lives.
In his address, Mr. Suraj Rai, CEO Education, urged the participants to maintain punctuality and make the most of the workshop for the effective implementation of the programme. He stressed the importance of thoroughly learning the subjects covered and replicating them in schools to achieve positive outcomes in society. Additionally, he stressed on the documentation of all the programmes conducted as part of the initiative for monitoring purpose and to assess the progress.
Dr. B.K. Chauhan, DRCHO, provided an overview of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP), stressing the importance of its implementation due to the growing health risks faced by adolescents. He presented updated statistics, revealing that compared to the national population average, Sikkim’s population is at a higher risk of various non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and more. He informed that such diseases is attributed due to their sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, tobacco use, alcohol abuse etc. Further he also enlightened about the mental health issues growing among children and informed that the training shall also look into the stress management and behavior development to prevent suicides and other related issues.
He also explained on the Management Information System for School Health and Wellness Programme, in which the participants have to update the details of activites carried out in their schools in the designated portal or mobile app.
He further informed that under various programmes and initiatives, including the Rastriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), which includes District Early Intervention Centers (DEICs) to provide early intervention services and health screenings to identify diseases for children from birth to 18 years of age.
It maybe mentioned here that total of five batches have been formed, each consisting of 46 participants who will undergo a four-day long workshop/training. On the first day, 32 teachers attended the session.