On the occasion of National Deworming Day (February 10), the Department of Health and Family Welfare will distribute Albendazole tablets to children and students aged 1 to 19 years.

Health and Family Welfare Commissioner G. Veerapandian, in a press release on Sunday, stated that all arrangements have been made for the distribution of tablets across the State and that the tablets have already been dispatched to districts. Posters and pamphlets related to the awareness campaign have also been sent. He mentioned that 34% of children and students in the State are affected by intestinal worms. To eliminate this, Albendazole tablets of 400 mg are distributed twice a year through Anganwadi centres and government and private educational institutions.

The campaign aims to distribute these tablets to 1.12 crore children across the State. The tablets will also be distributed to children registered in Anganwadi centres and those not attending school on Monday. “For those who miss receiving the tablets on Monday, a ‘mop-up’ day has been scheduled for February 17,” he said.

As per government guidelines, Anganwadi workers and teachers will distribute the tablets to children. Necessary arrangements for transportation, infrastructure, tablet availability, IEC materials, and safe drinking water have been made in coordination with health officials, ASHA workers, and ANMs. The district health department officials have been instructed to take responsibility for the distribution, he said and urged the public and schools to cooperate with the government in this initiative, aimed at the welfare of children and ensuring a healthy future for them.