The National De-worming Day (NDD) to administer deworming tablets to all children in the age group of 1-19 years was held on Wednesday in Nuapada district.
All schools including private educational institutions and Anganwadi centres (AWC) of the district were the implementation sites of NDD. “The objective is to improve the overall health, nutritional status, access to education and quality of life of children” said the health officials.
The district administration under the leadership of the district Collector Dr Poma Tudu took up the responsibility in a mission mode. A meeting of all the Government officials /stakeholders was held on August 19 last followed by one-day orientation training programme of all the teachers, Anganwadi Workers (AWW) and ASHAs in five block headquarters of the district. These field functionaries had already been oriented on the impact of worm infections, which can cause anemia, malnourishment, impaired mental and physical development and may cause a serious threat to children's health, education, and productivity. The AWWs and the ASHAs took efforts at village level to orient the people, especially women to allow their children to take de-worming tablets in schools and AWCs. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6, 2016), about 64 per cent of the children in the age group of 6-59 months in Nuapada district are anaemic. The survey further mentions that 40 per cent of the children under 5 years are underweight, 37.6 per cent of this age group is stunted (height for age) and, 26.4 per cent is wasted (weight for height) which indicate that a high percentage of district's children are malnourished.
According to the WHO, one of the main reasons of such situation is the infection caused by Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) or parasitic worms. It is learnt that, the impact of STH in Nuapada district is endemic. Khariar, Sinapali and Boden blocks of the district are worst affected. The number of children covered under the NDD on Wednesday could not be ascertained.
There 88,544 (2011 census) under 18 children in the district, so 100 per cent coverage of 1-19 age group would mean a coverage of more than a lakh child population.