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9% of tested children are at active risk of one eyed blindness unearths Healpha Health Report Card

Healpha, School Health Program conducted a detailed health study by establishing contact with 64,615 parents for a health screening of 3- to 18-year-olds from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra over a period of 18 months pre-Covid in India.

The Healpha health report card has identified that 5% of tested girls and 4% of tested boys are at an active risk of one eyed blindness due to previously unidentified Lazyeye ailment. Additionally, 10% more of screened children already suffer from Anismetropia which can eventually lead to Lazyeye ailment and potential blindness in one eye.

The number of children suffering from ENT related issues is certainly a serious concern given that the ear hygiene and ear wax related issues can result in hearing loss and infection Perforation issues in the Ear over a period of time. This in addition to the alarming number of children suffering from Lazyeye and Tonsils needs immediate lifestyle changes and simple health practices to be implemented by parents at home. Additionally, it is very important to screen children for their holistic health at least twice a year.

Elucidating the views on the report, Mr. Raj Janapareddy, Founder & CSO, Healpha, said “The Healpha Health Report Card is a reality check for parents, teachers, principals and the Government about the on-ground status of the health of children – the future of India. In a population of 1.3 billion, 41% of the population are below 18 years. The report has revealed that we are moving towards a high working population but a very low healthy working population. And, we are not in a state of readiness to measure the potential impact on GDP and the pressures on the healthcare system.”

“Our tests have shown us that 0.0018% of our children today are in a perfect health condition. If we extrapolate this data, we as a country are looking at only 4885 perfectly healthy citizens from a population of 26.5 crores! Alarming indeed. For the government and the parents, it is time to sit up, think and act. As a parent and as a citizen of this amazing country, I know that I am worried. A conscious medical and paramedical industry should focus on bringing our kids the best health possible is the need of the hour,” he further added.

While dental issues are not considered the top of the pyramid in priority order, issues like tartar, plaque and cavities can eventually impact gums, enamel, teeth bones and cause persistent bad breath. A simple technique to reduce incidences of dental issues apart from the commonly known better eating and brushing habits is to ensure that less food with food colouring is consumed.

Parents, teachers and principals should keep a sharp eye for unexplained lack of focus or attention during class, deteriorating performance for no evident reasons and unhygienic eating habits from unidentified sources to keep viruses and bacteria at bay. Additionally, parents should focus on reducing screen time and active physical exercise with children to ensure that lifestyle related issues don’t occur.   

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