With the new school term set to begin on September 7, health experts are urging parents to have their children undergo basic health checks before returning to class, saying routine assessments can identify problems that may affect their growth, concentration and performance at school.

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Private Kamanzi, chairman of the Rwanda Nutritionists Society, said parents should have their children’s nutritional status assessed, particularly younger children who are more vulnerable to malnutrition.

He said children’s weight and other measurements should be taken to establish a baseline that can be used to monitor changes over time.

For children in nursery and pre-primary school, Kamanzi said health checks should look for stunting, wasting and obesity, as well as possible deficiencies in key nutrients such as iron, zinc and vitamin A.

"Under five years are very prone to stunting, to acute malnutrition,” he said, adding that nutritional assessments can help identify problems that could affect children’s growth and performance at school.

For older children, Kamanzi said their weight should also be monitored, noting that weight loss during the school term can go unnoticed if there is no measurement taken before they return to school.

"Weight is something very critical to this category of children. Iron, zinc and vitamin A remain important because children are still growing.”

Kamanzi also urged parents to inform schools about food allergies before children report back.

Parents who know their children react to particular foods should seek advice from a health facility and obtain documentation to help schools provide suitable meals, he said.

"Parents can even go to the closest health facility such that a nutritionist or a health care provider can confirm that test with a document,” he said.

He said school feeding should also be accompanied by proper hygiene, warning that poor hygiene can expose children to diarrhoea and other infections, potentially resulting in weight loss and loss of appetite.

Kamanzi encouraged schools to provide balanced meals that include foods such as beans, maize, rice, vegetables and fruits and, where affordable, milk.

He cautioned against unhealthy foods sold in school canteens, including sugary drinks, processed foods and fatty foods, saying they can increase children’s risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases later in life.

Routine medical checks

Dr Eric Niyongira, a medical doctor, said the beginning of a school term provides one of the few reliable opportunities for the health system to reach children, many of whom have no scheduled contact with a health worker between infancy and adulthood.

"Otherwise, visits are prompted only by an active medical impairment,” he said.

Niyongira said routine health checks can identify conditions that are often simple to treat but can affect a child’s performance at school if left unattended.

"A child who cannot see the blackboard is labelled slow or inattentive, when the problem costs a pair of glasses to correct. The same applies to hearing loss from untreated ear infections, dental pain, anaemia and intestinal worms,” he said.

"These are not dramatic diagnoses, but left alone they quietly decide whether a child passes or fails,” he added.

Niyongira said a check-up before the start of term can also help confirm that a child’s vaccinations are up to date and that health insurance is active.

He noted that most high school students would already have received routine vaccinations during primary school, while girls should also be checked to ensure they have received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

For children living with conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, sickle cell disease or diabetes, he said a pre-term check-up can help establish a clear health plan and ensure that the school knows what to do in case of an emergency.

"In boarding schools, screening protects the whole dormitory, not just one child,” Niyongira said.

He also urged parents and schools not to overlook mental health, particularly among adolescents.

"The start of term brings real pressure for adolescents, and a short private conversation with a health worker is sometimes the only opening a struggling child gets. A healthy child learns, and everything else we invest in education depends on that.”

Dental health

A dental check-up before school resumes can help identify problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and infections that may not initially cause pain, according to Samuel Mbagoroziki, an oral health advocate.

He said untreated dental problems can cause pain, difficulty eating or sleeping and may affect a student’s concentration and attendance at school.

Having the teeth checked gives children an opportunity to receive treatment early and return to school healthy and comfortable.

"Parents should not wait until a child complains of tooth pain before taking them to a dentist. Dental care is not only about treating pain; regular check-ups are an important part of prevention,” Mbagoroziki said.

He said a routine examination should cover the teeth, gums and overall oral health, with cavities, gum problems and infections treated early. Some children may also need professional cleaning where plaque or tartar has built up.

The check-up can also be used to reinforce good oral hygiene and healthy habits. The Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) has been promoting school-based oral health activities, including screening, basic dental care and oral hygiene education.

Mbagoroziki said children should brush their teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, clean between their teeth regularly and limit frequent consumption of sugary foods, sweets and sugary drinks, which increase the risk of tooth decay.

Drinking water, he said, is a healthier choice.

RBC recommends routine dental check-ups at least once a year and encourages regular brushing and other preventive measures.