Over 1.4 crore children aged between 1 and 19 in anganwadis, government, aided, government residential schools and a few private schools have been administered Albendazole 400mg, a deworming tablet, on Thursday. This is part of the second round of National Deworming Day.
Teachers, who had been trained in administering the chewable tablet, gave it to children one hour after lunch. The first round was conducted on February 10.
Although students are being administered the weekly iron and folic acid tablets (every Monday) in the State, the high prevalence of soil transmitted helminths or parasitic worms has necessitated a bi-annual school- and anganwadi-based de-worming programme, said Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram Deputy Director Veena.
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A flagship initiative of the Union Health Ministry, the National Deworming Day is a nationwide, preschool (anganwadi) and school-based programme. “We have a target of 1,40,70,583 crore children. However, for those who missed out on Thursday, a mop-up round will be carried out on August 17,” she said. Worm infections are the root cause of iron deficiency anaemia, malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency in children.