National Deworming Day (NDD) in India is observed twice in a year on 10 February and 10 August. It is an initiative taken by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to raise awareness about the symptoms, causes, and harmful effects of parasitic worm infections in children, and the importance of deworming treatment.
Parasitic worm infections in children are mostly caused by soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), and affects millions of children globally, especially those living in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene.
National Deworming Day in India aims to reduce the worm infections in the country as much as possible. On this day, children in the age group of 1 to 19 years are provided with free of cost deworming medications like albendazole. The deworming programme in the country strives to eradicate the worm infections by reaching out all children through schools, childcare centres, anganwadi centres, and more.
National Deworming Day in India Date and Theme
National Deworming Day in India is celebrated twice in a year in February and August. This year, it falls on Saturday, 10 February and 10 August 2024. The theme of National Deworming Day 2024 is not known yet.
History of National Deworming Day in India
The history of National Deworming Day in India dates back to 10 February 2015 when the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched this initiative first time with an intention to address the challenges of parasitic infections in children.
Since then, the National Deworming Day is observed annually on the same date. Besides, the country also celebrates National Deworming Day on 10 August. On National Deworming Day, the children in different age groups are provided with deworming medicines like albendazole free of cost.
According to nhm.gov.in, "The objective of 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 Centers in order to improve their overall health, nutritional status, access to education and quality of life."
Significance of National Deworming Day in India
The significance of observing National Deworming Day in India is to reduce the high burden of different soil-transmitted helminth infections, including roundworm, whipworm, and hookworm. These infections are commonly found in school aged children in the country.
Parasitic infections in children leads to several health issues like malnutrition, anemia, poor mental health, and poor performance at school. Therefore, the National Deworming Day aims to address the issues of worm infections to improve the overall health and development of children.
What Causes Parasitic Worm Infections in Children
Worm infections in children are mostly caused due to following reasons:
Poor hygiene
Poor sanitation
Consumption of uncooked food
Eating contaminated food
Eating junk and unhealthy food
Infection by soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH)
National Deworming Day 2024 Activities
The following are some of the National Deworming Day activities that can be performed to reduce the infection by parasitic worms in children.
Mass Deworming: Reach out to all children between age groups of 1 to 19 years for mass deworming by giving them medications like albendazole free of cost. The deworming medicines must be taken in supervision of a healthcare professional.
Awareness Programmes: Educational and awareness programs must be held at schools and anganwadi centers to educate parents, teachers, and children about the negative effects of worm infections on overall health and development.
Educational Materials: Distribute free posters, flyers, and pamphlets mentioning the symptoms, causes, and prevention of worm infections.
Observing National Deworming Day is extremely important for improving the health and welfare of children in India by addressing the problem of parasitic worm infections, enhancing educational results, and fostering long-term socioeconomic development.
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