NDD: Working towards Anaemia Mukt Bharat

Vijayawada(NTR district): National Deworming Day (NDD) was observed across the State on Tuesday and Albendazole tablets have been distributed to more than one crore children/students.

As part of this programme, all private and government schools, junior colleges, technical institutes and Anaganwadis administered Albendazole tablets to children and adolescents aged between 1-19 years.

Health and Family Welfare Commissioner J Nivas said that tablets were given to all the children at the same time throughout the State for effective reduction of worm infestation. He said National Deworming Day has contributed immensely to the cause of Anaemia Mukt Bharat and Kuposhan Mukt Bharat under National Nutrition Strategy, formulated by Niti Ayog in December 2017, with a vision towards Anaemia and malnutrition reduction by 2022. ''The convergence of NDD with the Swachh Bharat Mission and Poshan Abhiyaan are steps towards ensuring enhanced nutrition and cleanliness and hygiene in our surroundings leading to prevention and control of worm infestation.

Awareness generation activities have also been undertaken under this programme to sensitise people about the harmful effects of worm infestation due to open defecation and to promote healthy habits to keep worm infections under control'', Nivas informed.

He further said that Albendazole 400 mg (chewable) tablets have been distributed at the MPDP office in mandals and added that Principals of all junior, ITI, polytechnic, nursing and degree colleges and headmasters of schools have collected the tablets from March 10 from their respective MPDOs. The Commissioner said that ANMS have distributed the tablets to Anganwadi centres and the leftover students would be administered tablets on March 18 across the State.