Introduction to the Project
The “Little Lice-Free Healthy Kids” project was launched on September 1, 2013, at Ban Bo Phut School, Bo Phut Subdistrict, Koh Samui District. Ms. Thanomkhwan Chokkanaphithak, the acting director of Ban Bo Phut School, presided over the opening ceremony. The event was attended by village health volunteers, health insurance fund committees, teachers, students, and municipal staff from the Department of Public Health and Environment.
The Importance of Personal Hygiene for School-Aged Children
Maintaining personal hygiene, especially head cleanliness, is crucial for school-aged children. Lice are small, wingless insects that infest, bite, and feed on the blood from the scalp. They thrive on unclean heads and are most commonly found among preschool and primary school students aged 4-14 years.
Lice infestations can cause discomfort, affect concentration in class, and lead to social stigmatization. Furthermore, lice can contribute to anemia. Generally, students with lice have improper personal hygiene habits.
Lice Prevention and Management in Schools
Although lice can be easily treated by consistently maintaining scalp cleanliness, they can be easily transmitted between students and family members. To address this issue and break the cycle of infestation in schools, proper lice prevention and management practices must be undertaken, including maintaining hair and scalp cleanliness.
Thus, a lice prevention project for school-aged children was initiated to eliminate lice among students by emphasizing the importance of maintaining personal hygiene and scalp cleanliness. This helps prevent lice infestations and reduce the spread of lice.
Health Insurance Fund’s Support for the Project
The Health Insurance Fund supports this project to promote students’ knowledge about lice, self-care, and lice treatment. This aims to control the spread of lice among female students at Ban Bo Phut School and enhance their concentration in class and improve their overall personal hygiene and personality. By providing education and resources, the project seeks to create a healthier environment for students and their families.
