Student Health Assessments

TPP helped support student health assessments in Milola from 2011 to 2013. It first trained local health officials and laboratory technicians to work with school teachers to coordinate the assessments. Next, each student in Milola received a health assessment and a referral for medical services as necessary. Based on the high prevalence of schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic worms, Milola schools began incorporating education on the disease's symptoms, testing, and treatment in 2012. Student health clubs also performed peer-to-peer education on testing.

TPP then used their experience from the 2011 assessments to work with Tanzania's National School Health Programme and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in 2013 to develop and test an efficient and scalable approach to the nationally mandated student health. A training guide was then developed and piloted in Lindi District. In total, TPP was able to support student health assessments for 827 students (71% of enrolled students) from Milola A, Milola B, and Ngwenya schools.