Pune civic body to conduct mass deworming campaign on Feb 13

The medicines will be administered as per the prescribed dosage depending on the children’s age, officials said

On the occasion of National Deworming Day on Tuesday, February 13, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will conduct a mass deworming campaign wherein around 4.50 lakh children in the age group of one to 19 years in the city will receive albendazole tablets, officials said. Whereas the mop-up round of the campaign will be carried out on February 20, as per the PMC officials. The medicines will be administered as per the prescribed dosage depending on the children’s age, officials said.

The drive will be conducted in government and private schools, colleges, and anganwadis across the city. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The drive will be conducted in government and private schools, colleges, and anganwadis across the city. The civic body will also include out-of-school children in the campaign. However, the PMC is facing issues with getting permission from private schools for the campaign. The PMC has procured a stock of 10 lakh pills for the campaign.

Dr Bhagwan Pawar, health officer of the PMC, said that the campaign is of great importance as the prevalence of intestinal worms, which spread as a result of poor hygiene and sanitation practices, is among the chief reasons behind malnutrition in children. “The anganwadi workers and healthcare staff have completed their training for the campaign. The campaign aims to protect children from gut worms, enhancing their overall well-being and health resilience,” Dr Pawar said.

Dr Rajesh Dighe, chief immunisation officer of the PMC, informed that the target population has been divided into three groups for the immunisation campaign. The first group includes children in the age group of one to five years who attend anganwadis and playgroups who will be covered by Asha workers. The second group comprises children in the age group of five to 15 years who will be covered in schools by the health team. The third group includes children who attend junior college and will be covered by the health team with the help of education department officials. The Asha workers will cover the out-of-school children.

Dr Dighe, said, “The campaign will be conducted ward-wise with the help of ward medical officers. The medicines will be given only on February 13 and those children who could not get the medicine due to any reason will be covered in the mop-up round. We have a huge stock of medicines and if private schools approach us, we will provide them with training and medicines,” he said.