POONCH, APRIL 13: Under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma, National Deworming Day was successfully conducted today in this border District.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Parvaiz Ahmed Khan launched the deworming drive here at Government High School Boys Purani Poonch.
The deworming of drive was also conducted across Mandi, Surankote and Mendhar, where Albendazole tablets were administered to children and adolescents in the age group of 1 to 19 years with the active support of DPMU teams, school staff, Ashas and Anganwadi workers.
Speaking on the occasion, the CMO informed that Poonch district has a large target population under the campaign. The district comprises 1391 government schools with an enrollment of 95,434 students, 267 private schools with 40,762 students, 1419 Anganwadi Centres with 36,209 beneficiaries and 68 madrasas with 6,999 students. In total, 1,79,404 beneficiaries aged between 1 and 19 years are to be covered under the deworming drive.
He further stated that all eligible children present in schools, Anganwadi Centres and madrasas were administered the medicine today, while those left out will be covered on the Mop-Up Day scheduled on April 18. Highlighting the dosage, Dr. Khan said that children aged 1–2 years are given 200 mg Albendazole, while those between 2–19 years receive 400 mg as per prescribed health guidelines.
The CMO emphasized that worm infections can cause serious health issues among children, including anemia, malnutrition, abdominal pain, diarrhea, weakness, poor immunity and hindered physical as well as mental development. These intestinal worms consume essential nutrients from the body, affecting overall growth and learning ability.
He added that regular deworming is highly beneficial as it improves nutrient absorption, prevents anemia and malnutrition, boosts immunity, enhances physical growth and helps children perform better in studies. The health department urged parents, teachers and the community to ensure that every eligible child receives the deworming dose to keep them healthy and disease-free.