News: Since the launch of the ‘National Deworming Day’ in 2015, 14 states have shown a reduction in worm infections prevalent among children while nine states showed a substantial decline.
Facts:
- National Deworming Day(NDD): It is observed bi-annually since 2015 by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
- Aim: It is aimed at eradicating intestinal worms also known as Soil-Transmitted Helminths(STH) among children in the age group of 1-19 years.
- What happens on Deworming Day? Children and adolescents aged 1-19 years are administered Albendazole tablets across government, government-aided schools, anganwadis, private schools and other educational institutions.
Additional Facts:
- Soil Transmitted Helminths(STH): It is a sub-group within the group of helminth infections.It is caused specifically by those helminths which are transmitted through soil contaminated with faecal matter and are therefore called soil-transmitted helminths.
- Causes: The main species that infect people are the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), the whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and the hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale).
- Transmission: It is transmitted by eggs that are passed in the faeces of infected people.
