BACKGROUND
The World Health Organization’s Global School Health Initiative, launched in 1995, seeks to immobilize and strengthen health promotion and education activities at local, regional, national and global levels. The initiative is designed to improve the health of students, school personnel, families, and other members of the community through schools.
THE GOAL OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
To increase the number of schools that can truly be called “Health Promoting Schools”. Although definitions may vary, depending on need and circumstance, a Health Promoting School can be characterized as a school that constantly strengthens its capacity as a healthy setting for learning, living and working.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The ‘HPS’ concept implies being knowledgeable of the following:
TB
- Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) IS curable.
- Know the early signs and symptoms.
- Visit your nearest clinic if your suspect TB.
- Share your knowledge with your friends, family, colleagues and the community at large.
- TB anywhere is TB everywhere
SUBSTANCE ABUSE. (SANCA)
- SANCA is actively involved in initiating training and facilitation of Teenage Against Drug
Abuse (TADA) groups. Members are young people who have decided that drug abuse is not
in keeping with the way in which they wish to conduct their lives.
- They act as a school-based peer group source of information regarding the hazards of drugs
and drug abuse.
- They also promote positive, fun alternatives to drug abuse for school kids.
HIV AND AIDS
- Seek knowledge all the time – read, read, and read again.
- If not sexually active yet, abstain from sexual activity.
- If already active, practice secondary abstinence.
- Be faithful to your partner.
- Be wise and condomise.
HEALTHY HABITS FROM A YOUNG AGE
- To prevent heart disease in adults, we should start encouraging a healthy lifestyle in children
from a young age.
- By encouraging an active lifestyle, a love of all healthy foods, and a distaste for smoke and
smoking, we will make it much easier for them later in life.
- Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults.
- The main causes of being overweight are lack of physical activity and excessive food intake.
SMOKING AND YOUR HEART
- Research has shown that the younger you start smoking, the harder it is to stop.
- The health risks of smoking are directly related to the age of tobacco initiation and the length
of dependence
- Parents should be careful not to smoke in the presents of their children.
- Parents should educate their children as to the dangers of smoking.
LEADING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
- A healthy lifestyle can reduce your chance of getting diseases of lifestyle.
- Eat a variety of food so as to get vitamins and minerals that help prevent infections and
illnesses.
- Be active. Being active keeps our bodies strong, helps control our weight, and make us feel
great. Walking, using the stairs, swimming, cycling, and sports will help you stay active.
- Control you weight.
- Do not drink alcohol.
- Do not start smoking, if you are smoking, consider quitting.
EXERCISE
- What are the benefits of regular exercise?
- Helps reduce and control body weight.
- Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.
- Help to cope with stress and relieve tension.
- Gives you energy
“HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOLS.”
“BUILDING CAPACITY TO ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVED SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAMMES”.