MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1981
SCHOOL MEDICAL SCHEME POPULAR *****
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME IS CONTINUING TO ATTRACT CHILDREN FROM SCHOOLS AND THE TOTAL ENROLMENT NOW PASSES THE 200 000 MARK.
IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF 21 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF PUPILS TAKING PART, BRINGING THE TOTAL ENROLMENT TO 207 508 AT MARCH 31, COMPARED TO 170 574 IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT MORE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ARE BECOMING AWARE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE MEDICAL SCHEME.
UNDER THE SCHEME, THE PUPIL PAYS $5 A YEAR AND RECEIVES MEDICAL ATTENTION AND MEDICINE FROM A DOCTOR CHOSEN BY THE SCHOOL.
THE SCHEME IS HEAVILY SUBSIDISED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO COMPLEMENT THE EXTENSIVE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FROM APRIL 1, THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTRIBUTION WAS INCREASED FROM $30 TO $50 A PUPIL ENROLLED A YEAR.
DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ECONOMICAL MEDICAL TREATMENT TO SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM PRIMARY ONE TO FORM THREE, THE SCHEME IS A SCHOOL-BASED, VOLUNTARY SCHEME UNDER WHICH CHILDREN ARE FREE TO TAKE PART.
DOCTORS WHO PARTICIPATE VOLUNTARILY IN THE SCHEME ARE REGISTERED PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS.
PUPILS MAY JOIN AT ANY TIME OF THE YEAR AND ARE ENTITLED TO 12 MONTHS' MEDICAL TREATMENT FROM THE DATE OF ENROLMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SERVICE IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO PUPILS WHO APPLY INDIVIDUALLY IN THE EVENT THAT THE SCHOOL DOES NOT ADOPT THE SCHEME.
A PUPIL IS ENTITLED TO A FREE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION ON ENROLMENT AND MAY VISIT THE DOCTOR ASSIGNED TO HIM AS MANY TIMES AS HE NEEDS.
ALTHOUGH ENROLMENT HAS BEEN INCREASING, THE PRESENT ENROLMENT REPRESENTS ONLY 25 PER CENT OF ALL ELIGIBLE SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE URGED SCHOOL AUTHORITIES TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE PART IN GETTING AS MANY PUPILS ENROLLED AS POSSIBLE.