Improving health and nutrition
in schools

Children in poorer countries miss many days of school every year because of common health issues such as worm infections, short-sightedness or poor nutrition.

Yet these problems can be easily diagnosed and treated if children have access to reliable health services.

The School Health Integrated Programming (SHIP) project began with a pilot in 2016, funded by the World Bank, to screen schoolchildren in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal for vision and health problems such as refractive error or worm infections. The pilot aimed to raise awareness, provide treatment and encourage governments to improve health and nutrition in schools: the goal was to reduce absenteeism and drop-out rates, and boost children’s educational prospects.

As part of SHIP, teachers are taught about major eye conditions affecting their region, and are trained to examine their students and record their findings. Children with vision problems are then referred to a team of mobile optometric technicians, who can travel to the school and provide free spectacles.

Any children found to be suffering from or at risk of worm infections are treated with deworming medication. The teachers are also trained to educate their students about eye health and personal hygiene, with the children encouraged to share what they learn with their families.