All the children in the age group of 1 to 19 years will be administered deworming medicines, under the National Deworming campaign on 10 February aiming to improve health and nutrition-level of children across the district. Health workers will provide medicines free of cost to all children in all schools and Anganwadi centers. This will also include children of juvenile homes and rehabilitation centers, informed Mukesh Kumar Deputy Commissioner Bokaro.
Under the campaign, there is a target to provide deworming medicine- Albendazole tablets (400 mg) to nearly eight lakhs children. Those children who will miss out the dose during on 10 February for any reason will get it on a mop-up round on 17 February, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner said that albendazole tablets should be chewed and eaten. It could also be taken with water in powder form, said DC.
Health dept officials informed that worm infection adversely affects children's health in many ways. Worms consume nutrients from tissues of the human body, which leads to the deficiency of nutrients in children, hampering their mental and physical growth.
Albendazole is a safe deworming medicine for both children and adults. This medicine makes the worm unconscious and their grip is loosened from the intestines and they come out of the body with feces when it would be taken in powder form along with water or chewed dry, said the official.
Children with excessive infection may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dehydration, stomach pain and fatigue, after consumption of the medicine. Such situations can be easily managed by school teachers or Aanganwadi workers, said the official.