1.64 lakh children to be administered deworming medicine in Chamba

Our Correspondent Chamba, February 15 Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal presided over the District Task Force meeting organised by the Health Department on Saturday. He said that over 1.64 lakh children and adolescents will be given albendazole in the second phase of the deworming campaign in Chamba district on February 20. Issuing instruction to the officials, Repaswal said that in the second phase, a total of 1,64,981 infants, children and adolescents across schools and Anganwadi centres in the district will be administered albendazole to help control worm infections. Additionally, 48,467 children aged 1 to 5 years will be administered Vitamin A supplements. Repaswal emphasised that if any child misses the deworming dose on February 20, the Health Department will ensure its administration on February 27 as part of a mop-up round. To enhance awareness at the grassroots level, panchayati raj institutions will play a key role in educating people about the campaign. The District Programme Officer (Women and Child Development) has been directed to ensure the participation of all Anganwadi workers, while the deputy directors (primary and higher education) have been instructed to ensure 100 per cent attendance of school students on the scheduled date. The DC also stressed the importance of an effective monitoring system at both district and block levels to ensure the campaign’s success. The meeting was conducted by District Health Officer Dr Jalam Bharadwaj and attended by Chief Medical Officer Dr Bipen Thakur; District Programme Officer, Women and Child Development, Kamal Kishore Sharma; OSD, elementary education department, Umakant Anand, and block-level medical officers. Deworming campaigns are vital public health initiatives aimed at reducing the prevalence of parasitic worm infections, which can have serious health consequences, especially for children. These campaigns typically involve administering albendazole or mebendazole — medications that help eliminate intestinal worms and improve overall health and nutrition. Parasitic worm infections, commonly caused by soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis, affect millions of children worldwide, particularly in low-income and developing countries. These infections can lead to malnutrition, stunned growth, fatigue and impaired cognitive development.