Indus Valley Times

First round of National Deworming Day (NDD) on 10 February 2024

By A. K. Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 13: Renewing the momentum built during National Deworming Day (NDD) campaign 2023 to combat the threat of intestinal worms among children and women, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Odisha aims to reach 12 million children and women across the state.

The mop-up round will be held on 17 February for those beneficiaries who missed the dose on 10 February.  Besides, children aged 9 to 60 months will receive age-appropriate vitamin A solution at Routine Immunization sites and special Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Day during the same period.

Addressing the media in Bhubaneswar, Dr. Bijaya Kumar Panigrahy, Director Family Welfare, informed, “During NDD, the children aged 6 –19 years and women of reproductive age 20-24years will be provided with Albendazole tablet while children aged 1–5 years will be administered age-appropriate Albendazole suspension at respective schools and anganwadi centres facilitated by teachers, Anganwadi Workers and ASHAs”.

“In some of identified blocks of seven districts – Bolangir, Cuttack, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Khordha, Nayagarh and Rayagada, where Filariasis doses are administered, the children between 1-2 years of these areas will only be covered under NDD,” said Dr Panigrahy.

All schools and anganwadi centres will be the implementation sites of the NDD. All the private schools, play schools, childcare institutions and academic institutions will be included in this campaign.

At the event, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Sahoo, Nutrition Officer, UNICEF, emphasized “National Deworming Day is a vital initiative in safeguarding the health of our children and communities. By providing access to deworming medication, we’re not only preventing the harmful effects of intestinal worms but also fostering healthier futures”.

The campaign is a collaborative effort between the Department of Health and Family Welfare, and Department of School and Mass Education, Department of Women and Child Development, and Department of ST and SC Development, and Development partners such as UNICEF.

The press conference was attended by Dr. Bijay Kumar Panigrahi, Director Family Welfare, Dr. Muralidhar Padhi, Addle.Director(MH), Dr. Smrutijit Pattnaik, Nutrition Joint Director, Dr.Tapas Kumar Patra,SEPIO and Dr. Sanjay Kumar Sahoo, Nutrition officer, UNICEF.