Albendazole tablets given to children on deworming day

Tirupati/ Chittoor: In one of the largest public health programmes reaching a large number of school and college children in the age group of 1-19 years, the National Deworming Day (NDD) has been observed in the district. As part of the mass deworming measure, the district administration aims to administer the Albendazole tablets to almost 4.85 lakh children in the district. It is a fixed day approach when all children, enrolled in schools and Anganwadis as well as those out of schools are targeted for treatment for intestinal worms with an aim to improve their overall well-being, nutritional status, access to education and quality of life. As part of the childcare in their early years which is most critical and significant, the government has taken up this programme along with several other such programmes. Under this programme, children will be given one full tablet of Albendazole tablet 400 grams for 2-19 years of age and half tablet (200 grams) for children having 1-2 years of age. As it was a chewable tablet, children will be made to chew it till it is completely dissolved. It was learnt that with only one tablet, six type of worms can be killed and children will become healthy. The programme was formally launched by the in-charge Collector DK Balaji at MGM High School in the city on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, he said that worm infections interfere with nutrient uptake, can lead to anaemia, malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development and pose a serious threat to children’s health. Albendazole tablets should be administered in the prescribed dose after food. Children at Anganwadi centres 97,543, government and private school students 3,07,827, intermediate students 76,377 and 2,865 children, who are outside the school in the age group of 10-19 years, will be given the tablets. PHC medical officers, MEOs, ASHA and Anganwadi workers are monitoring the programme. DM&HO Dr U Sreehari, DEO Dr V Sekhar, Additional DM&HO Dr C Aruna Sulochana Devi, DIO Dr Santha Kumari, district programme officer Harinath, municipal health officer Dr Yuva Anvesh Reddy and others participated in the programme. In Chittoor, Municipal Commissioner Dr J Aruna said that all the children in the age group of 1-19 years should be administered Albendazole tablet for deworming. Administering the Albendazole tablet to children at Municipal Elementary School to mark the National Deworming Day on Thursday, she said that instructions have been issued to medical staff to administer the tablet to children covering all the schools and colleges besides Anganwadi centres. District Medical and Health Officer Dr Prabhavathi, Mayor B Amuda, Dy Mayor Rajesh Kumar Reddy, corporator Bindu and District Immunisation Officer Dr Sudarsan were present.