More than 24 lakh children of the age group 1 – 19 would be administered ‘Albenbazole’ tablet by the medical health and family welfare department as part of a massive de-worming exercise on August 10.
Addressing newsmen here on Wednesday, the Director General (DG) health Services, Dr DS Rawat said that 24.62 lakh children would be administered the tablet. He said that the department has also earmarked the school dropouts for the drive. The department would take the services of Asha workers, teachers, Anganwadi workers, ANMs and National Health Mission workers for the drive. The DG health also informed that the State Government has provided 26.70 lakh tablets to the districts for the drive.
He appealed the parents to send their wards compulsorily to school on August 10 so that the tablet could be administered to them. For left out children the department would organize a mop up round on August 17. For information and grievance redressing the 104 integrated help line has been kept ready.
Dr Rawat further informed that the children between the ages I – 2 would be given half tablet while children between age 2 to 19 would be administered one tablet.
The helminthic worms are the cause of malnutrition and retarded growth in a large number of children. In 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 and apart from physical growth the worm also affects mental growth of the individual.
The medical experts are of the view that de-worming helps in increasing attendance of students’ up to 25 percent in the schools. The DG who himself is a paediatrician said that the helminthic infection occurs by defecating in open, walking barefooted, keeping low personal hygiene and eating infected food. He said that the symptoms of the disease are retarded growth, anaemia, loss of appetite, stomach ache, vomiting and irregular bowels.