PUNE: Teachers of municipal and private schools as well as balwadis in Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal limits, who have been trained to identify students suffering from H1N1 flu-like symptoms, started checking students from Wednesday.

Teachers were seen asking students and checking if they were suffering from any flu-like symptoms as soon as schools started. Parents of sick students were told to take their wards to the nearest screening centre for treatment.

Bhavana Jhamtani, supervisor of Jai Hind English school, told TOI that the school had stopped morning assembly. "If we notice any child suffering from cold and cough, we call his/her parents and ask them to take their wards to doctor," she said.

Subhash Dahiphale, principal of PCMC-run Vidyaniketan, told TOI that a standard V student was sent home after teachers found that he was suffering from cold and cough. Navmaharashtra school principal U B Newase said a parent teacher meeting has been organised on Thursday to create awareness about H1N1 flu.

Earlier speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Ashish Sharma, municipal commissioner, PCMC, said the civic health department had provided training to the teachers. Nearly 216 teachers of PCMC-run balwadis were trained, while 134 headmasters of all the PCMC-run primary schools received a two-hour training on Monday.

Headmasters of all private secondary schools within the PCMC limits were also provided training on Monday which was attended by 192 headmasters. Total 542 teachers were trained in two days where R R Iyer, medical director, PCMC, and other health department officials acted as resource persons.

Speaking to TOI, Hari Bharati, administration officer, primary education department, PCMC, said, "The teachers and headmasters have been trained to identify students suffering from H1N1-like symptoms. They will check students every day when the school opens for the day and send suspected cases to nearest H1N1 primary screening centres."

Bharati added: "The identified students will be classified into three categories. The C category students will be those having minor symptoms. They will be given medicines and sent home. The B category students will be suspected H1N1 cases and will be given Tamiflu tablets. The A category students will be those in serious condition and will be admitted in the hospital for further treatment.:

Explaining the reason for starting such a drive, Bharati said, "Some people or students suffering from H1N1 could not get treatment on time and became serious. In worst cases, some died. In order to avoid such a situation, we have started this system of teachers identifying the students at the schools."