Children in the age group of 1 to 19 years would be administered anti-helminthic tablets on the National Deworming Day on February 10. Principal Secretary Health Om Prakash gave this information at a press conference on Friday. He said that a consignment of 20 lakh tablets for the purpose have reached the State. The drug (Albendazole) would be given in all the Government and Government aided schools on the day.
The Principal Secretary health said that out of the school children would be given the drug with the help of Asha workers. The Ashas would be given a onetime honorarium of Rs 100 for the purpose. He said that coordination between education, health, women and child development, rural development, Panchayati Raj, Peyajal and sanitation department is needed for the success of the day. Om Prakash said that role of teachers, Asha workers and Anganwadi workers are of paramount importance in the drive.
The Director General (DG), health services Dr R P Bhatt said that children between the ages I – 2 would be given half tablet while children between age 2 to 19 would be administered one tablet. He said that Albendazole is a safe drug which helps in effective deworming. The DG said that in the middle Himalayan region the percentage of helminthic infection is found to be as high as 30 percent. The helminths are the parasites that absorb nutrition from the body tissues and induce malnutrition which adversely affect growth of body. Apart from physical growth the worm also affects mental growth of the individual. Dr Bhatt said that the survey reports have proved that deworming help in increasing attendance of students upto 25 percent in the schools. He said that minor side effects like headache, nausea and vomiting are reported in some small number of cases. The Government has appointed a nodal officer in every district to deal with the reports of any side effects. As a precautionary measure the drug would not be given to sick children. A data of such children would be made and the drug would be given to them when they become fit. The left out children on the day would be given the medicines regularly till Mop up day on February 15.