Healthy living program in Saudi schools launched

A major initiative to promote health in schools has been launched in Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Health in partnership with the Ministry of Education on Thursday announced the new program, which initially aims to target 50 percent of the Kingdom’s elementary grade students.

The project is part of a wider campaign by the Health Ministry to encourage healthy lifestyles and enable the early detection of a range of medical conditions.

Students selected to take part in the program will have checks carried out on their medical history and will undergo various health tests.

As well as dental examinations, students will receive eye, hearing and weight tests and behavioral experts will check for signs of learning disabilities such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There will also be tests aimed at spotting other conditions, including scoliosis (curvature of the spine).

The parents of those students not included in the project, are being urged by the ministry to have their children tested at their local health center.

This is the second phase of a health program, launched by the Health Ministry in September last year, to promote student health throughout the Kingdom.

It includes a social media campaign to raise awareness about the importance of medical examinations for students in helping to detect symptoms early.

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