Sunday, 20 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Health department will administer Albendazole to 6.60 lakh children in Dehradun in the deworming drive. The massive drive being organised under the aegis of the National Health Mission (NHM) will be held on August 22. The children left out in the drive will be given deworming medicine on August 29 which is the mop up day. The chief medical officer (CMO) of Dehradun, Dr Sanjay Jain said that the Albendazole will be given to 6.60 lakh children between the age one to 19 years in all the schools, Anganwadi centres and outreach camps. The campaign will be organised by the health department with assistance from the education department, child development department and organisation evidence action.
Dr Jain said that block health officers, block education officers and block level officers of ICDS have been directed to ensure that the medicine is sent to 100 per cent schools and Anganwadi centres. He appealed to the parents to ensure that their children get the deworming medicine in the drive. The additional chief medical officer (ACMO) Dr Nidhi Rawat said that necessary training has been imparted to all the Asha workers, ANMs and teachers about the drive.
In the drive the children between the age of one to two years would be given half a tablet while children between age 2 to 19 years would be administered one tablet. d
The helminthic worms are the cause of malnutrition and retarded growth in a large number of children. The helminths are the parasites that absorb nutrition from the body tissues and induce malnutrition which adversely affect growth of the body and apart from physical growth the worm also affects mental growth of the individual.
The medical experts are of the view that deworming helps in increasing attendance of students’ up to 25 per cent in the schools. The helminthic infection occurs by defecating in the open, walking barefooted, keeping low personal hygiene and eating infected food. The symptoms of the disease are retarded growth, anaemia, loss of appetite, stomach ache, vomiting and irregular bowel movements.
