The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) organised press conference on August 6 in its health department premises on the occasion of ‘National Deworming Day’ which will be observed on August 10. The National Deworming Day is a single fix –day approach to treat intestinal worm infections children aged between 1-19 years and it is held August 10 and February 10 every year.
The main objective of this programme is to create basic awareness about health and maintaining hygiene among children. Apart from malnutrition, infected water also causes health problems for children. According to national health survey, 28 per cent children are infected due the presence of worms in their intestine. It is caused due to lack of proper hygiene.
As per a survey, 70 per cent children below the age of five are affected due to blood anemia. In Maharashtra children more than 34.4 per cent of children below 5 years age are malnourished as per National Family Health Survey (NFHS). As per the survey, the girls from the age group 30 per cent and 56 per cent boys are suffering from anemia from the adolescent age group category.
Deworming tablets were distributed to citizens. Apart from National Deworming day, TMC will conduct MOP Up Day on August 16. Currently 141 TMC schools, 472 anganwadis , 103 private schools came under the civic body’s jurisdiction. The civic body’s will distribute deworming tablets to all these schools free of cost. The government is incurring Rs 20-22 lakh per district for organising this programme.
Thane Municipal Corporation Medical Health Officer, Dr R.T. Kendre said, “This seminar was conducted for creating awareness about children’s health. We are providing deworming tablets to TMC run schools, private schools and anganwadis. Our target is to reach 1,46,201 children and already 1,19, 182 children have received benefit out of it till February 2018. Our intention is to implement to provide access to basic medical facilities to children. Therefore, we are conducting medical camps for those children.”