As many as 18 children reportedly complained of illness after taking deworming tablets on Wednesday in Sonipat district on the occasion of National Deworming Day.
“18 children were brought to the Govt hospital in Sonipat as they complained of illness after taking the tablets, Alpondazol. Out of them, only three had pain in the abdomen. The rest were fine,” said Sonipat Civil Surgeon, Dr Jaswant Punia while talking to the mediapersons.
He said that it is normal for a few to have such reaction when a large number of children are being administered the tablets. Sometimes, a child may have a large number of worms and this happens. But there is nothing to worry, he added.
The children were from different classes of the Hindu Vidyapeeth School, Sonipat and were rushed to the hospital after they started vomiting and complained of abdomen pain. Over 80 lakh children between the age of six and 19 years in Haryana were to be administered deworming tablets on the occasion of National Deworming Day. Haryana Health Minister, Anil Vij had earlier directed the officials to ensure that deworming medicine is administered to all targeted children in schools across the state.
The medicine is being provided free of cost in all schools, Anganwadi centres and colleges across Haryana. The children in streets would also be covered under this drive. Children between 0 to 5 years of age had already been covered. Those children who were left out on Feb 10 due to any reason would be given this medicine on Feb 15. According to the doctors, those children who have worms suffer from anemia and malnutrition. Such children always complain of tiredness and their complete physical and mental development gets hampered.
Doctors also say that the deworming medicine given to children is approved by the World Health Organisation and is expected to have only minor side-effects.