László Papp, the mayor of the city, accompanied by deputy mayor Diána Széles, was informed about the school health screening tests at the Debrecen Primary Care and Health Development Institute on February 7, 2023.
As Csaba Papp, the director of the Debrecen Primary Care and Health Development Institute (Daefi) said after visiting the test sites, their institute is a complex medical institution. They operate school health care, school dental care, the city nurse service, primary dental care, the occupational health service, and the breast milk collection station. Of the school health screenings, the compulsory ones (school dentist, school doctor and midwife examination) are financed from normative support, but the establishment and development of the Pósa utca center where the examinations took place by October 2019, the non-mandatory screenings (ECG examination; ophthalmological and complex hearing examination; preventive presentations on different topics for each year; for all of this, the transportation of the students from their school to the prevention center and then back to their school at the end of the program) is carried out – in a unique way – courtesy of the Debrecen city government. In 2022, the city spent more than HUF 100 million to support Daefi’s activities.
Daefi strives to associate examinations with good experiences for children, so that they do not develop a fear of medical examinations, but rather enjoy this meeting in a pleasant, youthful environment, and the children from different schools make friends with each other. As Csaba Papp mentioned, he has already received feedback from a parent whose child did not remember the medical examinations from the screening program, but that they were able to play between each examination that day.
Speaking about the results of the school health screening tests, Csaba Papp said that in the 20221/2022 school year, a total of 12,599 children were screened at the Pósa Street center. According to the screening experience, the proportion of obese students in Debrecen is around 16 percent. In order to change this situation, Mozdulj, Debrecen! within the health promotion movement, three different programs have already been organized for different age groups, from the youngest to high school students. Musculoskeletal changes – ranging from mild club feet to serious spine problems – were found in 72 percent of the children. Mozdulj, Debrecen can also help in this area. movement. While the level of ophthalmic deviations among second-year students is more than 20 percent, by the 12th grade it is already close to 40 percent, which is mainly caused by excessive and incorrect computer use. In the case of students in Debrecen, the proportion of hearing differences can be said to be very low, at 1.8 percent. This good result is due to the careful screening tests of the nurse system. Regarding blood pressure problems, 5.7 percent of the total student population suffers from this condition, which is explained by increased stress. As a result of the ECG tests, problems were found in 184 children in the 2021/2022 school year, of which 67 cases required continuous cardiology care, and in 10 cases we identified a serious, life-threatening, arrhythmia-causing pathology in the form of WPW (Wolf-Parkinson-White) syndrome, which required surgical intervention. These children are already out of danger. Csaba Papp emphasized: the fate of these 10 children clearly shows the importance of the school health screenings made possible by the Debrecen municipality. The director emphasized: the point of the screening program is not to find the problem, but to see if they can help. And if they can, they will! Csaba Papp also mentioned that more than 54,000 examinations have been carried out within the framework of school dentistry, and nearly 3,500 children have been orthodontic free of charge – for this, the parents only have to purchase the orthodontic devices (bracket) at their own expense. With the help of Daefi’s health development office, more than 1,300 health development programs were organized in one year, in which a total of 21,500 people participated.
According to mayor László Papp, Debrecen is often talked about as a caring city in crisis situations, but at the same time, this has another very important aspect: health preservation and prevention. The main pillar of the latter in the city is the Debrecen Primary Care and Health Development Institute, where dedicated employees of the city, the University of Debrecen, and health professionals play a very important role. The activity that the health profession carries out for the benefit of the young people of Debrecen through the school health screening programs coordinated by Daefi must be expressed with the greatest appreciation. There is no other country in the country with such a complex, all-encompassing healthcare program focused on children. We can safely say that this is a model program that can be used as a model in other areas of the country. The special feature of the Debrecen model is that the mandatory examinations are carried out by department at a centralized location. László Papp also said that with the support of the local government, Daefi was able to purchase 6 new dental treatment units recently and that the institute’s Pósa utca center will soon be accessible through a more impressive entrance than before. These developments also help the professionals to perform their work here at the highest possible level. It is also important that Daefi’s basic activity is complemented by the comprehensive city-wide message for the young, the middle-aged, and the elderly alike – Move, Debrecen! program. László Papp emphasized that for the sake of a healthier lifestyle for the residents of Debrecen, this year, when planning the city’s budget, the municipality pays special attention to the launch of new health programs and screening programs. In order to implement these, the city will basically rely on the professional experience and knowledge of Daefi’s employees. Daefi is a cornerstone of Debrecen, which leads to a much healthier and more conscious lifestyle.
Deputy Mayor Diána Széles emphasized that the city also sees the opportunity in the school health screening program it has expanded to encourage Debrecen residents to change their attitudes and move them towards a healthier lifestyle. The financing of such a unique program requires a serious economic background. Debrecen is a strong, stable city, a strong community that has adequate economic opportunities and job-creating investments to be able to realize these goals. Diána Széles also confirmed that when planning this year’s budget, special attention will be paid to helping city residents develop a healthier lifestyle with new programs. The results of the school health screenings, the Mozdulj, Debrecen! Those who have experienced the movement’s programs also show that this unique investment in the country is worth it. The municipality wants the free health promotion programs to reach everyone in the city in the long term so that the people of Debrecen can be healthier and happier.
Debrecen City Hall
