Schools as stakeholders in health promotion: a review before and in the midst of the pandemic COVID-19 with reference to India and Odisha state

Abstract

Schools are educational hubs, which in developed countries have been very aptly used for the health promotion of simple endemic diseases and advocating levels of prevention. The infrastructure and in-depth curriculum are often instrumental in targeting good knowledge of health and disease, which can be achieved at an early age. Thus, this helps in curbing the transmission and addresses preventive strategies. In India, which strongly represents the developing world; even though the schools do not impress in terms of infrastructure, the integration with the health sector is remarkable at the programmatic and health policy level. The article essays the roles for which schools have been used appreciably, more in the context of safety during trying conditions, and takes a sneak peek into the newer roles and challenges poised during the pandemic of COVID-19.