26 States Gear Up For National Deworming Day 2020
As National Deworming Day (NDD) 2020 is scheduled for 10th February, the Union Health Ministry held the program planning and review meeting for which was attended by representatives from 26 States.
This meeting was attended by State nodal officers and representatives from WHO- India, Ministry of Women and Child Development; Ministry of Human Resource Development and representatives from the National Centre for Disease Control and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme. NDD is implemented by the Central government to combat public health risk of intestinal worms in children and adolescents aged 1-19 years.
Preschool and school-based deworming programs are globally recognized as a “development best buy”.
Experts say that deworming with the safe and beneficial albendazole tablet is an effective solution to controlling worm infections. India has the highest burden of worm infections in the world.
As per WHO (2014) over 22 crores, Indian children aged 1-14 years are at risk. Intestinal worm infections can act as a deterrent to children’s growth and development. It can adversely impact children’s performance in school, and livelihood potential later in life.
Dr Manohar Agnani, Joint Secretary- Reproductive Child Health said, NDD is a ‘cost-effective, evidence-based intervention’ and a successful example of inter-sectoral planning and coordination.
“For India to achieve the WHO recommendation of treating 75% of the population to eliminate morbidity due to from soil-transmitted helminthiases, we need to ‘ensure effective target setting that is aligned with census targets. To enhance program reach and impact, all states must, ‘engage with district administration’ and facilitate cross-learning. The High-Level Scientific Committee is developing an STH Roadmap that will provide direction on what we should do to ensure the elimination of STH as a public health problem in our country.”
Dr Ajay Khera, Commissioner, Child Health Program said that last year the health ministry reached out to 25.5 crore children and adolescents during NDD session rounds. He spoke about critical program interventions of the NDD, specifically effective drug supply chain management, program convergence and media management and engagement for NDD.
