School Health and Wellness Programme

The School Health Programme has been incorporated as a part of the Health and Wellness component of the Ayushman Bharat Programme of the Government of India to strengthen the preventive and promotive aspects through health promotion activities. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and NCERT.

The programme was started with the objective of providing age-appropriate information about health and nutrition to the children in schools and promoting healthy behaviors among the children that they will inculcate for life.

The state of Himachal Pradesh has initially launched the program in six districts namely Chamba, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Una, Kangra, and Mandi. In the first phase all the middle schools, higher secondary, and senior secondary schools have been included in the program. The school health promotion activities are being implemented in all the government schools in the state. This is achieved through the joint efforts and close coordination between the Department of health, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, SCERT, and Education and includes 3017 schools in which 6034 School Health & Wellness Ambassadors will be trained.

Two teachers, preferably one male and one female, in every school designated as “Health and Wellness Ambassadors” were trained to transact health promotion and disease prevention information in the form of interesting activities for one hour every week. These health promotion messages have bearing on improving health practices in the state as students will act as Health and Wellness Messengers in the society.

In FY 2022-23, the programme shall be implemented in the Shimla and Lahaul & Spiti district of the state where 758 schools shall be covered.