A total of 4,39,126 children in the age group of one to 19 years will be covered under the de-worming drive, which is scheduled to be organised across the district on August 10, the National De-worming Day.
To organise this drive, Collector M. Ravikumar convened a consultative meeting with healthcare professionals here on Saturday.
Presiding over, the Collector said worms would cause weight loss, iron deficiency, affect growth and anaemia. Hence, children should be aware of these ill effects and their parents should provide more care to protect their children to lead a healthy life.
De-worming tablets would be distributed to students of 1,583 government and aided schools, 119 private schools and 1,477 anganwadi centres and uncovered students would be given the tablets on August 17, he said.
Half a tablet to children at the age of one to two years and a full tablet to children at age from two to 19 years would be given in schools after lunch. The children should consume the tablets in front of their teachers. The drive would be carried out with the involvement of healthcare staff from a total of 53 primary health centres, urban health centres, anganwadi workers and village health nurses, he said.
Citing the ill effects of intestinal infection caused by worms, sources from Health Department said it would cause malnourishment, delay in growth milestones and anaemia. Hookworms in small intestines of children would absorb the iron content and cause iron deficiency. As a result, infected children would attain height and weight inappropriate for the age. Such infected children would be dull and lose appetite, lack concentration and learning ability. Besides, roundworms cause vitamin A deficiency.
Hence, children were asked to consume boiled water, wash their hands before and after eating, maintain nail hygiene and also to avoid walking on barefoot, sources said.
Joint Director of Health P. Banu, Deputy Director of Health Services, Thoothukudi, M. Madhusothanan, Deputy Director of Health, Kovilpatti, Bosco Raja and others attended.
