Delhi govt flags off de-worming drive; to cover 3.7-mn kids

The people of Delhi would soon prefer to go for government schools and hospitals as they will be made "far better than private ones", Health Minister Satyendra Jain said today as he launched a state- level de-worming drive.
"It has become a fashion now to attend private schools. Soon, people of Delhi would prefer government schools and hospitals as we would make them far better than private ones," he said at the launch of the state-level programme of the 'National Deworming Day'.
The programme is receiving technical assistance from Evidence Action's Deworm the World Initiative. Delhi government aims to deworm 3.7 million children as part of the drive.

At the event here at the Government Sarvodaya Co-ed Vidyalaya, Jain underlined that government schools can equip students to reach any height even as he said that he had studied at one himself.
He also emphasised to the students the importance of the de-worming programme, which will cover 11,500 anganwadis and 3,032 schools across 12 districts of Delhi tomorrow. A mop- up day has been scheduled for April 20.
"I have spoken to my officials and we plan to implement the programme in private schools also next month," Jain said.
Priya Jha, Country Director of India Programmes for Evidence Action's Deworm the World Initiative, said, "This de-worming round is critical for the health and well-being of Delhi's children.

"Regular de-worming together with improved water, sanitation and health education, can significantly reduce the prevalence and detrimental health impacts of parasitic worms in children.