Deworming drive to cover 5.81 Lakh schoolchildren

Srikakulam: Deworming drive will be started in all private and government educational institutions on February 8, said district medical and health officer (DM&HO) Dr M Chenchayya here on Wednesday. 

With an aim to prevent diseases caused by worms, Albendzol-400mg tablets will be administered to children at all anganwadi centres, schools and junior colleges, he said and added these tablets need to use children up to 18 years of age. 

Under Rastriya Bala Swastha Programme (RBSP), the deworming drive will be observed, he stated. “We have identified 5.81 lakh children across the district in all schools and colleges,” he stated. 

In total, 4.34 lakh children need these tablets in 3,989 schools and colleges and another 1.42 lakh children at anganwadi centres, he pointed out. In coordination with education, Sarva Siksha Aabhiyaan, panchayat raj, municipal, ICDS, medical and health officers will conduct the drive. 

Required tablets have already supplied to all anganwadi centres, schools and colleges across the district, said RBSP coordinator Dr Menda Praveen. These tablets need to be administered after having lunch, said district immunization officer Dr Bagadi Jagannadham.