Mangaluru: As part of the ‘National Deworming Day’, Dakshina Kannada district unit of Health and Family Welfare Department is disbursing “Albendazole” tablets to children between the ages of 1 to 19 on September 25.

Dakshina Kannada District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Ramakrishna Rao told mediapersons here on Monday, that the department has already supplied tablets to Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), Taluk Healthcare Centres (THCs), government schools and aided schools. “The teachers in schools and colleges should disburse these tablets to the children and make them consume them after food. Children between the ages of 1 to 19 can take one tablet and those aged between 1 and 2 should take half a tablet. The tablets have no side effects and adults can also take them. Child already suffering from an illness should not consume the tablets. They can take the tablets during the second round of disbursement on September 30. Private schools and colleges can obtain these tablets by approaching the local PHC.” he said.

“The department intends to disburse these tablets to a total of 5,12,447 children aged 1 to 19 in the Dakshina Kannada district. The Anganwadi and Asha workers will be engaged in disbursing these tablets to the students. A rapid response team will also be formed to address any problems connected to the tablets,” Rao added.

Informing the necessity of taking the tablets, Rao said, “This initiative needs to be coupled with improved sanitation, hygiene and availability of safe drinking water for reducing worm load. In order to achieve a ‘worm-free’ status, parents should made their children drink hot water, maintain cleanliness while consuming food etc.”