Fit for School - an Integrated School Health Programm

High prevalence of poverty diseases like diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, parasitic infections and dental caries among children in the developing world call for re-orientation towards prevention on a mass scale. Objective: The objective is the implementation of preventive measures into daily school life and to make use of school structures for the institutionalization of preventive strategies. Methods: Institutionalization of simple, evidence-based interventions like daily handwashing with soap, toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and other high impact intervention such as bi-annual deworming as school activity for all children visiting public elementary schools. Results: Pilot programs has been successfully rolled-out in the Philippines covering 630,000 children in 22 provinces. Futher scale up is planned to reach 6 Million children in the next 3 years. The programm is a partnership project between the Philippine Department of Education and Local Government Units and is supported by German Development Corporation. Conclusion: The “Fit for School” program in the Philippines is based on international recommendations and offers a do-able, low cost and realistic strategy using the principles of health promotion layed down in the Ottawa charter to reach the child population.