Written by HABIB BENZIAN, DDS, PhD, MScDPH
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01 October 2010
Children's health worldwide is threatened not only by acute conditions, such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and infectious diseases, but also by chronic diseases as exemplified by obesity and dental caries. Preventable infections and chronic diseases take a high toll on pediatric populations globally, with more than 200 million children not reaching their physical and cognitive potentials and an estimated 10 million dying per year from preventable causes.1-3
Consequently, international efforts to tackle childhood diseases have intensified, leading to a renaissance in the public health discourse as a most effective tool to improve pediatric health. For decades, health promotion and healthcare interventions in schools have been implemented in high-income countries, with oral health often among the first issues addressed. In many countries, particularly low- and middle-income, such programs remain limited in reach or are not sustainable financially. Efforts fade soon after implementation. Often, health and education decision-makersmay underestimate the potential of schools to help promote public health.4
INNOVATION AND IMPACT
The Fit for School Program (FFSP) is an integrated approach implemented in public elementary schools in the Philippines.5,6 It received an award as a winning solution from the World Bank, United Nations Development Program, and World Health Organization for "Innovation in Global Health" on the 6th World Day for South-South Cooperation in December 2009
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