AGARTALA, Aug 10 (TIWN): With the aim to curb de-worming, all the children’s in government school, non-governmental school, Anganwadi under 19 years of age would be administered with de-worming tablets.

However, Health Minister badal Chowdhury on Wednesday inaugurated the National De-worming Day program at RS Bhawan.

Health Secretary M. Nagaraju informed that at least 100 lakhs children will be administered with De-worming tablets on Wednesday.

National Deworming Day, a flagship initiative of the Government of India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, was marked in Tripura across 27 States and Union Territories.

The pre-school and school-based programme aims to provide all children between the ages of 1 and 19 with deworming treatment and Albendazole 400 mg, a chewable tablet, will be administered to children in anganwadis, government, government-aided and some private schools.

A follow-up to the initiative will be conducted on August 17 where children who were not administered the tablet due to absenteeism or sickness will be given the medication.

The first deworming day was conducted in 2015 when the tablets were given to 89 million children across 11 States.

As part of the second round, 179 million children were administered the deworming tablets, world wide

The National Deworming Day is observed on February 10 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and its main objective is to deworm children between the ages of (1-19) at schools and anganwadi centres.

On Wednesday, India attempts the world's largest deworming programme, covering 27 crore children from 11 states and 1 union territory.  .

Worm infections can cause anemia, malnourishment, impaired mental and physical development; and may cause a serious threat to children's health, education, and productivity. According to a study, the infected children cannot concentrate on their studies and they find very hard to put up their daily activities.