Indian School Leverages Technology for Free Health Check-ups
KATTAPPANA, INDIA (March 25, 2025) – Don Bosco Central School in Kattappana, India, is now offering free health check-ups, thanks to the installation of a Health ATM. This self-service kiosk is accessible to students, parents, and members of the local community.
Equipped with advanced medical technology, the Health ATM allows users to quickly monitor vital health parameters. These parameters include blood pressure, blood sugar levels, body mass index, oxygen saturation, and temperature, with results available in minutes.
According to Father Varghese Edathichira, the school’s principal, the initiative is part of a larger effort to promote the well-being of the entire community. “By addressing both physical and mental health, we aim to create a healthy and supportive learning environment,” he explained.
Salesian missionaries operate over 150 medical clinics and hospitals worldwide, mainly in rural areas. These facilities provide a wide range of medical care to youth and their families. Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, highlighted the importance of this work. “Salesians ensure that poor youth and their families have access to critical health services,” he said. “Through hospitals, dispensaries, and mobile medical clinics, and technology like what’s being used in India, Salesians are addressing the medical needs of those in often remote areas that have little access to care.”
The Salesians also provide a range of education and social development programs for underprivileged youth and their families in India, working to alleviate the challenges of poverty. In India, systemic issues such as caste, class, and gender disparities continue to hinder educational opportunities for many young people. Close to 44% of the workforce is illiterate, and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. Many secondary school graduates also lack the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the current job market.
Don Bosco Central School in Kattappana has installed the Health ATM, a self-service kiosk available to students, parents, and the local community.
