Bhubaneswar: The National Deworming Day (NDD), bi-annual round campaign for Odisha on April 4, 2018 will deworm children from 1 year to 19 years across the state, involving four government departments– Health &FW, WCD, SME, Panchayati Raj and SC/ST Welfare working together.
Speaking at a media briefing on the National Deworming Day in Odisha, ADCH-cum-Director Family Welfare (I/C) Dr KamalaKanta Das said, “This year under the National Deworming Day, Odisha government aims to reach approximately 1.3 crore children across all 30 districts. In six districts where there is a prevalence of Lymphatic Filariasis, we are combining the NDD round with Mass Drug Administration campaign through door to door visits.” “This strategy will help us in not just improving nutrition of children by combatting worm infestation transmitted through soil, but also elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, infestation acquired during childhood but manifested in adults that can cause temporary or permanent disability, he said.”
The National Deworming Day is one of the world’s largest public health programmes to prevent children from intestinal parasitic worms that can lead to anaemia, malnutrition, impaired mental, physical &cognitive development and reduced school participation. It covers all children from 1 to 19 years of age across 36 states/ UTs.
In Odisha, the state government has combined the NDD rounds with Vitamin A supplementation for all children from 9 months to 5 years. This year’s round is also combined with combatting Lymphatic Filariasis in six districts of high prevalence-namely, Angul, Deogarh, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jhasuguda and Nayagarh.
As a strategy, teachers and Anganwadi workers are trained by the government and the deworming drug is given to them to administer to children at school and anganwadis. Children between 1-5 years are administered with Albendazole suspension at Anganwadi centres and at special VHNDs by the anganwadi workers. Children between 6-19 years are administered with Albendazole tablet at government, government-aided and private schools by the teachers of the school. Children between 6-19 years who are out of school are administered with Albendazole tablet at Anganwadi centres by the anganwadi workers and DAMaN – malaria control programme volunteers. This year, door to door visits will be done in six districts where the campaign is linked with Lymphatic Filariasis.
During this programme IEC & BCC activities regarding sanitation and hygiene are also taken up.
Any child who is not dewormed on National Deworming Day (4 April) due to sickness or absenteeism will be administered the tablet on 11 April 2018.
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