Sindhupalchowk, Apr. 23: Nurses have been deployed in 51 community schools in the Sindhupalchowk district. 

The appointment of nurses in the community schools of three municipalities and nine rural municipalities has helped promote the wellbeing of the school students. 

Nurses have been appointed in four schools in Chautara Sangachowkgadi Municipality, six schools in Indrawati Rural Municipality, five schools in Jugal Rural Municipality, three schools in Tripurasundari Rural Municipality, four schools in Balefi Rural Municipality, four schools in Panchpokhari Thangpal Rural Municipality, five schools in Bahrabise Municipality, five schools in Melamchi Municipality, three schools in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality, four schools in Lisankhupakhar Rural Municipality, four schools in Sunkoshi Rural Municipality and four schools in Helambu Rural Municipality.

Nurses have been appointed in the community schools to promote health, sanitation and nutrition. The nurses are expected to motivate children to adopt a balanced diet and physical fitness and raise awareness about health at the school level. The Ministry of Health, Bagmati Province, has ensured a community nurse programme in 119 local levels of 13 districts of the province.

The Bagmati Province government has been providing health services to the students by appointing nurses on a contract basis in secondary schools from the urban areas to the rural areas.

The Bagmati Province government has started hiring nurses in community schools to improve the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls by running the ‘One School One Nurse’ programmes since 2018.

The then Ministry of Social Development implemented the programme in 2018 by formulating a working procedure for the nurse programme. 

Bikash Rokka, a class 9 student of Ganesh Secondary School at Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-4, said that the appointment of a nurse in community schools has motivated students to take care of their overall health.

Mamata Shrestha, a nurse working in the same community school, said that the availability of health services at the school has added enthusiasm among students.