Over 80 lakh children between the age of six and 19 years in Haryana will be administered deworming tablet on the occasion of National Deworming Day on February 10.
Haryana Health Minister, Anil Vij on Saturday directed officers of the Health Department to ensure that the medicine for deworming is administered to all targeted children in government and private schools across the State.
He said that this medicine would be provided free of cost in all schools, Anganwadi centres, colleges and streets across the State. He also directed them to ensure that those children whose birth was not registered and those who do not attend school are not left out during this drive.
The Health Minister said that panches and sarpanches of all villages, councilors of all Municipal Corporations, social workers and institutions would be linked with this drive in order to ensure that each child in the State is administered the deworming tablet.
“Those children who are not administered this medicine on February 10 would be covered on February 15. Children in the age group of 0-5 years have already been covered under this campaign,” Vij said.
The Minister said that according to doctors, children with worm infection suffer from anaemia and malnutrition, resulting in constant tiredness and stunted physical and mental growth. He said that as this medicine has no harmful side effects and would easily prevent worms in children, parents should ensure that their children are not left out during the deworming drive.