Date:19/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/19/stories/2007081957590100.htm

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Cardiac problems among students detected

Shastry V. Mallady

— Photo: K. Ganesan

For a cause: R. Pandurangan, left, Chief Educational Officer, handing over a cheque to members of medical unit for buying a vehicle, in Madurai on Saturday.

MADURAI: Several students in Madurai district in the age group of 14 and 17 years are suspected to have heart problems. Results of a health camp conducted in a Government-aided boys school here last week revealed at least 40 students having cardiac disorders.

In a swift move, the School Education Department has revived the District Medical Unit for School Children to conduct health check-up in all Government schools with the help of experts from Madurai Medical College.

The affected children were referred to the Government Rajaji Hospital in the city.

R. Pandurangan, Chief Educational Officer and president of the medical unit, told The Hindu on Saturday that a committee of school headmasters had been formed to work out a schedule to cover all schools.

According to A. Balachandran, Headmaster of Jayaraj Nadar Higher Secondary School and a member of the medical unit, medical camps would be conducted at schools on a regular basis.

One of the doctors, who screened the students at the medical camp, said that some of the boys had valve problems and heart malfunctioning, which could have been the result of rheumatic fever earlier.