Odisha govt aims to reach over 1 cr children under National Deworming Day campaign

Bhubaneswar: Under the National Deworming Day campaign in Odisha, the state government has aimed to reach more than one crore children for better health and improved nutritional status.

The Odisha government aims to reach approximately 1.3 crore children from 1 to 19 years across all 30 districts in convergence with major government departments in August this year.

Odisha Health Department in collaboration with UNICEF organized a press meet just ahead of the bi-annual round of National Deworming Day campaign and vitamin A supplementation programme on Tuesday.

Regular deworming prevents children from intestinal parasitic worms that can lead to anaemia, malnutrition, impaired mental, physical & cognitive development and reduced school participation.

Addressing the media, Family Welfare Director said, “Given the importance of deworming of children, any child who is not dewormed on National Deworming Day (8^th August) due to sickness or absenteeism will be administered the tablet on 16^th August (Mop up Day).”

“In addition, the state government will implement the bi-annual Vitamin A supplementation campaign in August. Under this programme, all children from 9 months to 5 years will be administered age specific vitamin A dose at the Routine Immunization session sites,” he added.

Public Health Director said, “In five districts (Balasore, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Khorda and Nuapada) where there is a prevalence of Lymphatic Filariasis, we are combining the NDD round with Lymphatic Filariasis- Mass Drug Administration campaign (LF-MDA) through door to door visits. This will cover the eligible population two years old and above.”

The Director, State Institute of Health & Family Welfare, emphasized the importance of mass awareness about the campaign.

“To generate public awareness information and communication materials for NDD have been specially developed in Odia, with support from UNICEF. This includes materials like radio jingles, wall paintings, TV spots, posters, and social media infographics. Further, to mobilise children in private schools, a special package of information material has been developed,” the director said.

About the campaign:

The National Deworming Day is one of the largest public health campaign and aims to deworm all children between the ages of 1-19 years through Government, Government-aided, private schools and anganwadi centres.

Nodal teachers, MPHW(F), Anganwadi Workers and ASHAs are oriented by the government and the deworming drug will be administered to children at school and anganwadi centre.

Children between 1-3 years are administered with Albendazole suspension and 3-5 years will be administered with Albendazole tablet at AWC 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 –Health volunteers under malaria control programme.

Under NDD, Albendazole tablet / suspension will be administered to all the children aged 1-19 years in 25 districts and to the children aged 1-2 years of MDA districts-Balasore Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Khorda and Nuapada.

In the five MDA districts all the eligible population above 2 years of age will be administered with Albendazole and microfilaria drugs.