Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Building on its track record of effectively combating diseases such as COVID, TB, and encephalitis, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has launched the National Deworming Campaign across 66 districts to rid the state of diseases caused by worms. Under this campaign, the state government is committed to distributing albendazole tablets to 8.66 crore children and youths aged 1 to 19 years across 66 districts over the next year. This initiative places particular emphasis on private educational institutions during the specified period.
Additionally, in various districts, albendazole administration will be integrated into the wider mass drug administration campaign, specifically designed for the eradication of filariasis. Commencing on February 10, this effort underscores the government’s commitment to addressing public health challenges at both a broad and targeted level.
Watch: All About National Deworming Day
Dr. Manoj Shukla, General Manager of the National Child Health Programme, said that with the help of local Anganwadi workers in the districts, medicines are being given to registered children aged one to five years and non-school-going boys and girls aged between 6 and 19 years. Besides, teachers have been directed to ensure that students aged 6 to 19 consume the medicine, he added.
He further stated that in juvenile homes, the dose of albendazole is being given to the teenagers through the superintendent-in-charge. Notably, the medicine has to be chewed and should not be given to a child or adolescent suffering from a serious illness. Younger children may have difficulty swallowing the pill, so they are fed crushed pills.
As part of the campaign, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that pills should be given to children in schools after lunch. This pill is not harmful for children in any way. Additionally, during the campaign, a mop-up round will be organised on February 5 for children and adolescents exempt from taking medicine. This medicine will have to be consumed either by chewing or in powder form after being crushed in front of the health team itself. Medicine will not be given to any child or family member for later consumption.
During the Deworming Campaign in August last year, the medicine was administered to 5 crore 56 lakh youngsters in 542 blocks of 53 districts of the state against the target of 7 crore 3 lakh children and adolescents, achieving 79 percent of the target. No adverse events were reported in any block during this period.
Deworming helps improve health and nutrition, strengthens the immune system and keeps anaemia under control. It also enhances the learning abilities of children.
It is worth mentioning here that children often pick up things from the ground and consume them. They sometimes walk barefoot in contaminated areas, leading to the development of worms in their stomachs. This causes the child to become physically and mentally weak, and they may suffer from anaemia. Taking albendazole eliminates these worms from the stomach, increasing the body’s iron absorption capacity and alleviating anaemia.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
