Haryana has become the first State in the country to implement Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK). Haryana Health Minister, Rao Narender Singh on Monday launched the first phase of this programme which will be implemented in six districts of the State.
launching RKSK in a State level function, Rao Narender Singh said that the programme will be implemented in Ambala, Panchkula, Karnal, Yamunanagar, Hathin block of Pawal and Nuh block of Mewat in the first phase. He also launched Menstrual Hygiene Scheme which will be implemented in seven districts — Jind, Hisar, Sirsa, Sonipat, Bhiwani, Karnal and Mewat in the first phase.
With a view to make this scheme a success, Indian hockey player Rani Rampal has been made the brand ambassador. The Health Minister appreciated Rani Rampal for voluntarily joining this scheme. The Health Minister said that Haryana has taken the initiative to implement RKSK which started about a month ago by Union Health Ministry and for this, officers of health department deserve high compliments.
Under the programme, four Peer educators including two adolescent boys and girls would be identified in every village with population of 1,000 people and trained by doctors on adolescent health issues. They would further conduct meetings with adolescent boys and girls of their villages to generate awareness The Peer Educators would be paid Rs 150 per month.
Apart from this, Adolescent Health Day would be organised quarterly in every village for the adolescent target groups and weekly iron and folic acid supplementation, sanitary towels, Albendazole tablets etc would be distributed to the adolescents. Similarly, under the Menstrual Hygiene Scheme, adolescent girls would be encouraged to adopt sanitary napkins in place of unhygienic and traditional methods with the help of ASHA workers. He said that ASHA workers would hold meetings with adolescent girls every month at Anganwadi Centres and Panchayat Bhawans.