Deworming drive targets over 5 lakh children in Tirupati district

Tirupati: Around 5.04 lakh children in Tirupati district are set to benefit from 22nd round of National Deworming Day programme, launched at EMR ZP High School in MR Palli on Friday.

Tirupati MLA Arani Srinivasulu, the chief guest, formally launched the initiative by distributing 400 mg Albendazole tablets to students. He said the government was providing Albendazole tablets free of cost twice a year to children and students aged one to 19 years. He urged all eligible students to take the tablets twice a year as advised by health personnel.

District Medical and Health Officer Dr V Balakrishna Naik said worm infections could cause anaemia, malnutrition, weakness and growth-related problems among children. Such infections could also have an adverse impact on school attendance, he said.

He said the programme was being implemented across the district as part of efforts to protect children’s health. Eligible children in government and private educational institutions, as well as Anganwadi centres, would be covered under the programme.

Officials have also been instructed to identify children, who could not take the tablets on Friday or absent from school. Such children will be provided the tablets on the Mop-Up Day scheduled for October 5.

Officials said the deworming programme would contribute to improving children’s health and nutritional status and help them attend school regularly.

They appealed to parents, teachers and educational institution managements to extend their cooperation for the successful implementation of the programme with the aim of ensuring a healthy and worm-free childhood.

District Education Officer KVN Kumar, State Surveillance Officer and Zonal Malaria Officer Dr Nirmal Alexander, RIO Gopal Reddy and others participated in the programme.

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The Hans India