School health in rural Nepal: why and how?

ABSTRACT

School health has been regarded as a high priority intervention in developing countries from the perspective of donor organizations. This paper aims to show why school health is important from the community perspective as well, and how school health programs should be implemented based on a case study by the School and Community Health Project (SCHP) in Nepal. SCHP conducted a needs assessment using a participatory rural appraisal in 28 rural communities (mean household number 51; mean population 352) in rural Nepal. As a result, SCHP found 70% of the target communities regarded schools as the most important institutions in their communities. Then, SCHP initiated two school health programs to meet their needs, a Supportive Healthy Environment Program and Child Initiative Program. The community members welcomed them, and all the schools successfully built toilets and water supply systems, and initiated child club activities, even though the school teachers' commitment was limited.