TAXILA: The school-based deworming programme kicked off in Attock on Monday, which is set to target 363,110 children between the ages of five to 15 years.

Teams to administer deworming medicine will visit 1,228 government and 611 private schools of the district. While inaugurating the campaign, Deputy Commissioner Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh said that the programme will continue till Oct 2. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Finance and Planning) Marzia Saleem, Chief Executive (District Education Authority) Malik Mohsin Abbas, District Officer (Secondary) Akram Zia, District Officer (Elementary) Kazim Shah, Deputy District Education Officer Syed Taqi Shah were also present on the occasion.

Mr Sheikh said 113 trained school teachers will administer free-of-cost deworming medicine, which is universally recognised as a safe and cost-effective treatment. He said deworming is essential for a child’s physical and cognitive growth and ensures resistance to other infections and improves school performance. “It will significantly contribute towards the government’s top health priorities: reducing malnutrition and anaemia,” he added.

He said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over 1.5 billion people or nearly one in four people of the world’s population are infected globally with intestinal worms, also known as soil-transmitted helminths, with over 835 million children in need of treatment. Infections result from poor sanitation and hygiene conditions and tend to have the highest prevalence in school-going children.

Ms Saleem highlighted that worm infections interfere with nutrient uptake, can lead to anaemia, malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development, and pose a serious threat to children’s health, education and productivity. Given the Covid-19 pandemic, the campaign is being carried out to ensure the safety of all stakeholders and communities involved, she said, adding a strong monitoring and evaluation system is being adopted.

She administered deworming tablets to school-going children to mark start of the campaign.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2021