Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district unit of Health and Family Welfare Department will be distributing de-worming tablet- ‘Albendazole’ to all those between the age group of 1 to 19 years, on February 8, as part of the ‘National De-worming Day’.
Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Ramakrishna Rao told mediapersons at his office, on Wednesday that the department has already supplied tablets to all the Primary Health Centers (PHC), Taluk Health Centers, government schools and aided schools, ITI and Diploma institutions.
“The teachers at schools and colleges should distribute the tablets to the children and make sure that they consume the same after food. The children, who are in the age group of three to 19 years can take one full tablet and the ones below three years can be given half the tablet. There are no side effects of the tablets and adults too can consume them. However, if a child is already suffering from any illness, it is better not to take the tablets,” he said.
“The department has provided tablets for 5,15, 433 children who are in the age group of one to 19 years in Dakshina Kannada district. Among them, 2,40,901 students are from Mangaluru taluk, 95,652 students from Bantwal taluk, 65,668 students from Beltangady taluk, 78,077 students from Puttur Taluk and 35,135 students from Sullia taluk. The Anganwadi and ASHA workers will be engaged in disbursing tablets to the students”, Rao added.
“This initiative needs to be coupled with improved sanitation, hygiene, and availability of safe drinking water for reducing worm load. In order to achieve the status of being ‘worm-free’, parents should make their children drink hot water, maintain cleanliness while taking food and other good habits,” he said.
