VIRUDHUNAGAR: Following the success of Malarum Punnagai – the district administration’s special initiative to treat malocclusions among government school students – Tamil Nadu’s National Health Mission officials are now conducting a feasibility study to extend the programme statewide.
Speaking to TNIE, NHM mission director Arun Thamburaj said the study is currently underway and further decisions would be made based on the feasibility of the programme.
The initiative, launched in Virudhunagar last year by the then collector V P Jeyaseelan, was aimed at correcting teeth misalignment in children free of cost at an early age, which would also improve the students’ self-esteem and confidence.
The district administration, supported by National Child Health Programme and the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC), conducted camps under the initiative at government schools to screen students from classes 6 to 12 for malocclusion.
The camps focused on children suffering from improper dental alignment, which can lead to poor jaw growth, difficulty in chewing, and other complications, sources said. Deputy Director of Health Services (Virudhunagar) V Yasodhamani said, “Students from classes 6 to 12 were screened, and those in need were treated with braces, with the majority being from classes 7 to 10.”
As the treatment offered under the initiative was classified as cosmetic, dental braces -- often used as a primary solution -- were not covered under health schemes or insurance. Thus, post-initial screenings, a collaborative camp between the Virudhunagar Government Medical College and Nala Dental Hospital was held to offer further treatment.
“An agreement was signed between the district administration and the private hospital, and braces treatment was suggested for around 302 students,” officials from the health department said. Braces typically cost Rs 20,000–Rs 30,000 in private clinics, making them unaffordable for many.
The initiative received widespread appreciation from the public and the state government, prompting the latter to explore the possibility of extending the scheme to government school students statewide. A few months ago, a team of government officials visited the district to conduct the feasibility study.