Question NW4530 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
07 December 2022 - NW4530
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether her department has any improved eye health programmes in place to address eyesight problems of learners in schools; if not, why not; if so, what (a) number of learners has her department (i) screened and (ii) provided with prescriptions in each province in the past two years, (b) marketing strategies has her department implemented to ensure a wider outreach in schools and for learners with no access to optometric services and (c) are the further relevant details in this regard?
Reply:
(a)(i)(ii)The Department of Basic Education in collaboration with the Departments of Health as well as Social Development are implementing the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP). The Health Services Package for the ISHP includes health screening (such as screening for vision, hearing, oral health and general health), onsite services (such as deworming and immunization), and health education for each of the four school phases. According to the data received from the Department of Health that is extracted from the District Health Information System, the learners reached through health screening in 2021 were 74 529, and those learners referred for eye care were 296 nationally. in 2022, the number of learners reached through health screening was 257 407, those referred for eye care were 22 462. Referrals are done to different health care facilities for further examination and care.
b) Annually, learners are provided with consent forms for parents to sign, in order for learners to be able to receive health services. The consent form is often accompanied with the information that is giving parents details on the health services that learners will receive in that particular year.