Table of ContentsAbstractIntroductionMethodologyHistory of School and College HealthHealth Problems of School and College StudentsDiscussion and Suggestions on Literature ReviewStatistical Data of Schools in South India IndiaInterpretation of School Case StudiesInterpretation of University Case StudiesConclusionAcknowledgmentsSummaryIndia gained independence from British rule almost 71 years ago. But even today, we lack medical infrastructure for our citizens. In this article, I would discuss the lack of medical and health facilities in educational institutions in India. Although our country has many quality hospitals and doctors, we still lag behind when it comes to primary health care for students. The health of a student is of great concern, whether it is a small child going to school or a graduate student. Like any other human being, they require basic medical facilities when needed. This article consists of case studies carried out by various researchers as well as old statistical data. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get Original Essay Keywords: School Health, Medical Facilities, School Ambulance, Medical Colleges, Private Hospital, IntroductionA school or college is a place where a student spends almost 7 to 10 hours a day. Every school must have basic health care. But it has been observed that most of the schools and colleges do not even have a medical room on their campus, which is essential in case of an emergency. Apart from a medical room, facilities must also have an experienced nurse and a doctor for medical assistance. They are perfect consultants when it comes to suggesting medications and performing minor stitches. If we compare Indian institutions with those of foreign institutions, we can certainly distinguish the vast differences in health and hygiene that different nations have to offer. In foreign countries, it is obligatory to have a medical room within the establishment. The larger the institution, the greater its reputation. That said, we must remember that the larger the institution, the greater the expectations. Yes, the saying is correct. In foreign establishments, small rooms or medical rooms are present if the school is normal. But in elite or larger schools, a nursing home or school hospital is present to help students. In India however, this is not the scenario. Here the saying continues: “The larger the institution, the greater the investment in infrastructure or the greater the investment in corruption.” In India, people mostly think about cost reduction. In India, the state of hospitals is deplorable, especially public hospitals. As of June 30, 2016, according to the Medical Council of India, “India has a total of 9,88,922 doctors, but unfortunately, only one doctor is available for every 1,668 patients. » In such conditions, the question is how to get medical facilities in schools and colleges? With this question, I started my research on medical and health facilities in schools and colleges in India. Methodology The article is mainly based on secondary data. But for the primary data, I approached people whose identities were kept secret. Apart from this, the primary data is also based on my personal observations on the subject. The articlespress have also been of great help in this paper.History of School and College HealthSchool and college health services began in 1909, for the first time during a medical examination of school children carried out in the city of Baroda . In 1946, the Bhore Committee reported that school health services were virtually non-existent or underdeveloped in India. In 1953, greater emphasis was placed on the need for student medical examination and school feeding programs by the Secondary Education Committee. In 1960, the Government of India constituted a school health committee to assess the health and nutrition standards of school children. During the five-year plans, many state governments have provided for school health and school feeding programs. Despite these efforts to improve school health, it is clear that in India, "as in other developing countries, the school health services provided are little more than a token service due to the lack of recourse and insufficient facilities” (Sonawane.N, 2017). Sanitary facilities and sanitation measures are the two important aspects for an adequate school and university environment. Although the school health system has undergone many changes, the college health system still requires special attention today. Even today, colleges do not have basic medical facilities. Basic medicines for health problems are provided in the college first aid but they are not satisfactory. This is what intrigued me to write an article. Health Problems of School and College Students Health problems of students differ depending on the age group. Students' problems may not be the same as those of students. According to the various data collected, the problems encountered by the students are: common infectious diseases, skin rashes, eye and hearing problems, malnutrition, food poisoning, mental stress, etc. Whereas among students the problems are completely different. Today, most colleges are residential and have hostels. Students who board hostels face maximum health problems. Students residing in the hostels stay away from home to pursue formal education. They are alone in facing whatever problems come their way, whether emotional, financial, mental or medical. However, in case of emotional or financial problems, we can contact our close friends and family members in times of need. But when it comes to mental distress or poor health, it becomes very difficult for students to cope with the situation. According to my observation, majority of students in college hostels in various regions face the following problems:1. Homesickness2. Food poisoning3. High weight loss and obesity4. Jaundice5. Ulcers6. Blood pressure7. Diseases due to water contamination8. Urinary infection9. Allergies10. Problems of Private Parts (Mostly Girls) Discussion and Suggestions on Literature Review Statistical Data of South Indian Schools To have a more in-depth knowledge about different health facilities provided in schools, I have referred to the article mentioned above to obtain statistical data from a survey previously conducted among schools in South India. According to this data, 30 schools were surveyed by sampling method, among which 4 were government schools, 12 were aided and 14 were private schools. About 25 schools had well-connected roads and 29 had verandasattached to classrooms for leisure. This study provided insight into the situational analysis and priority issues of these factors in schools in an urban environment in India. This has also been demonstrated in statistical data collected on schools (Joseph, Bhaskaran, Saya, Kotian, & Menezes, 2012). The tables are as follows:Interpretation of a school case studyCase 1: “A child with mild mental retardation was playing at her school with friends. The swing she is on is rickety and faulty. It came loose and the child had a nasty fall, seriously injuring his face. The school didn't know how to handle the incident and called the parents. The child was rushed to a nearby hospital and was hospitalized there for several days. The parents alleged that medical attention was not provided on time and the school authorities did not go to the hospital or provide any form of support” (Pawar.D, 2015). According to the above case, the child suffered serious injuries due to the school not knowing the safety measures and was admitted to the hospital because the school had no first aid provisions or medical care. The school did not even have its own private medical consultant who could be of some assistance in this type of situation. Case 2: “As many as 125 children of JawaharNavodayaVidyalaya in Barahiya, Lakhisarai district, 135 km from Patna, fell ill apparently due to suspected food poisoning in the wee hours of Friday. . The students complained of nausea and vomiting at 2:30 a.m. Friday, several hours after having dinner at the hostel. A total of 80 students were rushed to Barahiya Referral Hospital, while 45 were rushed to the nearby LakhisaraiSadar Hospital” (India, 2018). The above case concerns the mess at a school hostel where 125 students fell ill due to food poisoning. My question is: why is there no proper food inspection in hostels? This is not just the scenario in Patna but in most schools and colleges with hostels. Food is not checked before preparation or before serving. This becomes the leading cause of food poisoning and diseases like typhoid. Is this how schools across the country maintain health measures in schools? Are schools completely ignoring the health of young children? Case 3: Nearly 120 children fell ill after eating a meal at a school in Thiruvanthapuram and were admitted to a nearby hospital. Although none of them were found serious, they were released only after monitoring their health (Thiruvananthapuram News - Times of India, 2018). Schools need to understand that children need to have a healthy and appropriate diet. Any manipulation of their diet can be harmful to their health. In this case, the food eaten by the student was sent for examination after the children became ill. If there had been prior precautions, the children would not have been admitted to the hospital. Case 4: “The death of Akriti Bhatia, a Class XII student of VasantVihar Modern School, after an asthma attack, highlights the urgent need to develop guidelines on how schools should handle medical emergencies » (Bhatia.R, 2009). According to Dr PannaChoudhury, President, Indian Academy of Pediatrics, “There are no guidelines for schools on how to handle the emergency health situation of children. » This is what makes the state of school health worse. It is high time that the nation wakes up and unites on this issue. Children need the biggestbe careful when they are away from home. They have no knowledge about medications and health issues. In such cases, schools should be well equipped with basic emergency kits so that they can come in handy when needed. That said, we must not forget to mention the words of Dr. SatishBharadwaj, Emergency Medical Transport Service, Goodman Rescue. According to Dr Bharadwaj, “Every school should have a first aid kit, an oxygen cylinder that has been checked and certified and experienced school staff members are stationed at all times.” The above cases are just some of the cases of lack of medical facilities in schools. But there are a few schools that are well equipped to deal with emergency situations. GD Goenka School in Dwarka has a full-time nurse and a doctor. It has a medical room with three beds (Bhatia.R, 2009). It also has links with the local hospital. The school has stretchers, an oxygen tank and a school ambulance. The school also has a well-managed school health record of all pupils. But only a few schools have such well-equipped facilities. According to Minister RenukaChowdhury, “periodic health checks should be made compulsory in all schools” (Bhatia.R, 2009). Many other schools have made it mandatory for students to have a medical cabin and basic health facilities on the premises. as well as teaching and non-teaching staff. Apart from GD Goenka School, Jain International Residential School, Bangalore, Taurian World School, Ranchi, Doon School, Dehradun, JawaharNavodayaVidyalaya, Tripura, Doon Global School, Dehradun and Sheyn International Schools are some of the schools with well-equipped medical facilities in India. .Collegeinterpretation of the case studyThis study is a report that has been carried out using primary and secondary data. Colleges are places where students lead busy lives. They suffer from excessive pressure in colleges. In such cases, colleges must follow certain health measures to check the health of students. Here are some of the case studies which show that lack of proper medical facilities in colleges has taken a toll on students. Disclaimer: Character name, location, and events are subject to change depending on the situation to maintain confidentiality of the informant's identity. .Case 1: A girl named Prabha, from a reputed management institute in Ranchi, fainted in class. She was unconscious for almost 10-12 minutes when the college staff entered the room. His classmates ran around the institute to see if they could get ORS or glucose water, but to no avail. The staff took no initiative to provide 4-wheel transportation to the student, but instead asked the students to fend for themselves. This case was the main reason why I started this article. The question is that as a management institute, how can they not have emergency transport for students? What if the student suffered from a serious health problem that could have been fatal due to the negligence of the institute? I think it is high time that Indian institutes take the health of their students seriously. Since management institutes charge fees for each element of their course curriculum, they should benefit from better healthcare facilities. Since students pay fees in lakhs, they can also pay them if necessary. But it would be highly unethical if such big institutes do not.