The second round of National Deworming Day 2020 is being observed in all health units, villages and AWCs under Dimapur district and will be observed throughout the month of October.
A press release by RCH/UIP Dimapur, district programme officer, Dr. Rebecca stated that, according to World Health Organization 241 million children between the ages of 1 and 14 years were at risk of parasitic intestinal worms in India, also known as Soil-Transmitted Helminthes (STH).
STH infections can lead to anemia, malnutrition, impaired mental and physical & cognitive development, and reduced school participation.
National Deworming Day is to deworm all preschool and school-age children (enrolled and non-enrolled) between the ages of 1-19 years through the platform of schools and Anganwadi Centres in order to improve their overall health, nutritional status, access to education and quality of life.
Health workers in Dimapur district are providing albendazole tablets to children at the health units while the ASHAs and AWWs are distributing the tablet at the AWCs as well as visiting door-to-door to provide the tablet to the children in the village level.