National Deworming Day 2016 Fact Sheet
What is National Deworming Day?
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Government of India is
implementing the National Deworming Day in schools and preschools
(anganwadis) across India on 10 February 2016.
To combat parasitic worm infections among preschool (anganwadi) and
school-age children, albendezole 400 mg chewable tablets will be
administered to children at government, government-aided, and private
schools, and anganwadis. Out-of-school children will be administered the
deworming tablet at anganwadis.
The National Deworming Day will be followed by a mop-up day on February
15, 2016 to administer the deworming tablet to children who were absent
from the school or anganwadi on 10 February.
What is the goal of National Deworming Day?
The goal of National Deworming Day is to deworm all preschool and
school-age children between the ages of 1-19 years at schools and
anganwadi centres in order to improve their overall health, nutritional
status, cognitive development, and quality of life.
Why do children need deworming?
Worm infections interfere with nutrient uptake; can lead to anemia,
malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development; and pose a
serious threat to children’s health, education, and productivity.
Infected children are often too sick or tired to concentrate at school,
or to attend at all. Treatment with a deworming tablet is universally
recognized as a safe and cost-effective solution. School-based deworming
programs leverage the existing and extensive infrastructure of schools
and the documented importance of convenience in achieving high take-up
of preventive healthcare.
Why do we need a deworming program in India?
WHO indicates that India has the highest burden of soil-transmitted
helminths (STH) in the world, with 220 million children aged 1-14
estimated to be at risk of worm infections[1]. Almost 7 in 10 children
between 6 month and 5 years are anaemic, with even higher rates of
anaemia in rural areas, according to the 2006 National Family Health
Survey.
There are at least two randomized trials in India in the last decade
that demonstrate the positive impact of deworming in the country. A
health intervention that provided iron, Vitamin A, and deworming drugs
to Indian preschool children in the slums of Delhi found a significant
gain in children’s weight and school participation compared to
intervention with Vitamin A alone. Absenteeism was reduced by one-fifth
in the treatment group (Bobonis et al, 2006). A cluster-randomized
controlled trial found children aged 1-5 that were treated with five
rounds of the deworming drug, resulted in a greater weight gain compared
to non-treated groups (Awasthi S. et al 2008).
Who is organizing National Deworming Day?
National Deworming Day is led by the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW). The Department of School Education and Literacy under
the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Ministry of Women and
Child Development collaborate to implement the National Deworming Day.
Other key stakeholders are: the Ministries of Panchayati Raj, Drinking
Water and Sanitation, Tribal Affairs, Rural Development, and Urban
Development.
WHO, National Centre for Disease Control, and Evidence Action’s Deworm
the World Initiative are the technical assistance partners to the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
What are the ages of children treated on National Deworming Day?
All children in the age-group of 1-19 are treated. Children aged 1-5
are administered the tablet at the anganwadi. Children aged 6-19 are
given the tablet in their school. Children who are unregistered at
anganwadis and out-of-school children are also included in this program
and will receive the tablet at the anganwadi.
What dosage of the deworming tablet do children receive?
Children aged 1-2 are given half a tablet of albendazole (400mg),
crushed and mixed in drinking water. Children above the age of 2 are
given 1 full tablet of albendazole (400mg) to chew. The tablet should
always be administered under supervision.
Does the deworming treatment have side effects?
The health and safety of children is of utmost importance. Albendazole,
the tablet used for deworming, has been used widely for decades all
around the world. It is very safe and has very few side effects. When
side effects occur, they are typically a sign of high infection (which
makes taking the treatment all the more important). Side effects are
mild (like nausea and diarrhea) and pass quickly.
All stakeholders involved take the health and well-being of children
very seriously. As with any mass public health effort, there are
stringent ‘adverse event protocol’ put in place. All involved -
teachers, anganwadi workers, ASHAs, and other officials - are informed
about what protocol to follow and who to report to in the unlikely event
that a child falls ill. Teachers, anganwadi workers, and other
officials received training and educational materials on all aspects of
the deworming program.
What are Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STHs)?
Parasitic worms, or Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH), are among the most
common infections worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO)
estimates that 220 million children between the ages of 1 and 14 are at
risk of STH infection in India.
Soil-Transmitted Helminths live in human intestines and consume
nutrients meant for the human body. They produce thousands of eggs each
day, which are passed in faeces and spread to others by contaminating
soil in areas where open defecation is common and sanitation is poor.
Key Highlights of National Deworming Day 2015
● The Government of India launched phase 1 of the National Deworming
Day in 2015. The National Deworming Day was implemented in 10 states
and 1 union territory: Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Rajasthan,
Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and Dadra
and Nagar Haveli.
● During National Deworming Day 2015, 89 million children were
dewormed in 4.70 lakh schools and 3.67 lakh anganwadi centres.
● More than 9.49 lakh frontline functionaries from the
Department of Health and Family Welfare and Department of School
Education and Literacy were trained as part of the program. 46% were
school teachers/headmasters, 33% were anganwadi workers, and 21% were
ASHAs.
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most
common infections worldwide and a ect the poorest and most deprived
communities. They are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces, which
in turn contaminate soil in areas where sanitation is poor.
Several studies show the detrimental e ects of STH on children’s
educational performance and school attendance. Children with the highest
intensity of STH infestation are often too sick or too tired to
concentrate at school or attend school at all. STHs interfere with
nutrient uptake in children; can lead to anaemia, malnourishment and
impaired mental and physical development. Rigorous research has shown
that they also pose a serious threat to children’s education and
productivity later in life.
In areas where parasitic worms are endemic, administering safe,
e ective deworming drugs to children at schools and is a development
“best buy” due to its impact on educational and economic outcomes and
low cost. The evidence shows that mass deworming leads to significant
improvement in outcomes related to education, earnings, and long-term
well-being.*
NATIONAL DEWORMING DAY
India has the highest burden of STH in the world, with 241 million
children at risk of parasitic worm infections. Under-nutrition and
anaemia in children has been well documented in India: almost 7 in 10
children in the 6-59 months age-group are anaemic, with even higher
rates of anaemia in rural areas.
To combat this situation, in February 2015, the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Government of India launched the National
Deworming Day (NDD) as part of National Health Mission. NDD aims to
deworm all children between the ages of 1-19 years through Government,
Government-aided and private schools, and centres in order to improve
their overall well-being, nutritional status, access to education and
quality of life. Under this program, all school teachers and workers are
provided training and resource material to e ectively administer the
deworming drug (Albendazole tablets) at school and centres.
The NDD has emerged as the world’s largest public health campaign
for treatment of intestinal parasitic worms. After the unprecedented
coverage of NDD with national coverage of more than 89 million children,
the MoHFW mandated the observation of the NDD at pan-India level on 10
February 2016. The NDD will be followed by a mop-up day on 15 February
to cover children who might be left out earlier due to sickness or
absenteeism, and will ensure maximum coverage with optimal utilisation
of resources. In addition, the fixed day strategy will prioritise
deworming within and school health programs, increase awareness, and
standardize campaign messages across the country.
STAKEHOLDERS
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India is the
nodal agency for providing all States and UTs with operational
guidelines related to NDD, with the Department of School Education and
Literacy under the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Ministry
of Women and Child Development (ICDS) as the key stakeholders for NDD
implementation. Other key stakeholders are Ministries of Panchayati Raj,
Tribal Welfare, Rural Development, Urban Development, Drinking Water
and Sanitation. WHO, National Centre for Disease Control and Evidence
Action's Deworm the World Initiative are the technical assistance
partners to MoHFW, Government of India.
IMPLEMENTING NATIONAL DEWORMING DAY
Key components to implement a successful NDD include drug procurement
and management, adverse event management systems, monitoring and
supervision plan, and recording and reporting processes. Strategies have
been put into place to ensure that these components are rolled out in a
streamlined and e ective manner. These strategies include:
** Steering Committee Meetings at States and Districts prior to NDD
** A robust integrated distribution of drugs, IEC, and training
handouts during training at block, sector, and project level to ensure
all material for the program are made available on time
** Community awareness and mobilization, with specific e orts towards
ASHA engagement to include out-of-school children into the program
** Adverse Event Management protocols that provide clear instructions on the management of adverse events
** A monitoring and reporting cascade to ensure that NDD is being
implemented as planned and to assess whether desired resulted are being
achieved.
