In the Vitebsk region, 96% of students in schools and gymnasiums are provided with hot meals, as reported to journalists by Lyudmila Yatsko, the chief freelance pediatrician of the main department for healthcare of the regional executive committee, according to a BELTA correspondent.
"In the Vitebsk region, the coverage of schoolchildren with hot meals is high - 96%, and in the rural areas of the region - 100%. Nevertheless, not all educational institutions have modern food blocks to prepare steamed food for dietary nutrition. The range of fermented milk products and juices in single-serving packaging has expanded in schools, and the proportion of dishes that do not meet calorie standards has decreased. According to the rules, the methods of cooking dishes should predominantly be baking, boiling, and steaming," Lyudmila Yatsko noted.
According to the specialist, interdepartmental monitoring groups have been established in the region at the level of city and district executive committees. They visit educational institutions weekly and check what and how schoolchildren are fed.
In the Vitebsk region, the overall incidence of digestive organ diseases in children decreased by almost 32% from 2010 to 2018. Preschoolers and students most often suffer from respiratory organ diseases, which account for 77% of all ailments.
During the press conference, attention was also drawn to vision impairment in children, injuries, and computer addiction. To prevent these, parents, teachers, and medical professionals must work together. -0-