The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare took the initiative to start the National Deworming Day. The day is celebrated every year on 10 February to ensure that every child in India is worm free. In some states and Union Territories, the prevalence of Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) is greater and that is why the day is marked bi-annually. The National Health Portal considers this initiative as one of the largest public health programs in the country.
The program aims to reach a large number of children during a short period of time and it also informs people that about 241 million children between the ages of 1 and 14 years are at risk of parasitic intestinal worms in India, also known as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). Let's know about the history, theme, significance of National Deworming Day 2023.
National Deworming Day 2023: Theme
The theme for National Deworming Day 2023 is not yet known.
National Deworming Day 2023: History
National Deworming Day was established in February 2015 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and it is celebrated in 277 districts across 11 states and Union Territories of India. The initiative is dedicated to deworming children. Since 2016, the day is observed twice a year, on February 10 as well as August 10.
All government and government-aided schools and anganwadi facilities participate in the deworming programme and raise awareness on providing the kids with a deworming medicine called albendazole tablets.
National Deworming Day 2023: Significance
National Deworming Day is a public health initiative of India that aims to solve the problem of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and reach out to as many children as possible with a single dose of albendazole. The target population for this initiative is preschool and school-age children, as they are at the highest risk of suffering from STH infections. The day focuses to improve the health and well-being of children in India by working in close collaboration with the state governments to reach children in both rural and urban areas.
The agenda of the campaign is to reduce the burden of STH infection and make improvements in the health sector of the children. National Deworming Day also helps raise awareness about the importance of personal and environmental hygiene and how to prevent STH infections.
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