National Deworming Mission of GOI- 2023 Worm-free children, healthy children!

National Deworming Day (NDD) is an initiative of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India to make every child in the country worm free. It is  observed bi-annually on 10th February and 10th August in all the states and union territories, to spread awareness about the importance of deworming amongst children between 1 and 19 years.

Worm infections, especially intestinal parasites, are prevalent among school-aged children, affecting their growth, cognitive development, and school attendance. The NDD programme is a cost-effective programme used to control worm infections in children through a safe medicine - Albendazole. Deworming has shown to reduce absenteeism in schools, improve health, nutrition and learning outcomes for children, and increase the likelihood of higher-wage jobs later in life as per global evidence. 

Following  the same principles, a National Deworming Campaign was held from 10th to 17th of October 2023 under the guidance of the Directorate of Family Welfare, GNCTD. The campaign involved the administration of single age-appropriate doses of Albendazole tablets to all children and adolescents in the age group of 1-19 years.

To ensure successful implementation of the programme, a nodal teacher was selected from each school and was provided with the neccessary training regarding the administration of tablets to the students. At The Indian School-Second Shift, Ms Nidhi Vatsa attended a training programme at GBSSS , Malviya Nagar on 9th October conducted by Dr Rupider Kaur and also collected the Albendazole tablets for the students. Consequently, our school conducted a training and meeting of the same for all class teachers and concerned members, where the strategy of distribution and administration of tablets amongst children was discussed and chalked out.

The deworming campaign training not only addresses the immediate health concerns of our students but also fosters a sense of community responsibility towards children's well-being. Moving forward, it is imperative to continue such initiatives and integrate health education into the school curriculum to ensure a healthier and brighter future for our children.