Nearly 9-cr children given deworming tablets in 2015: Govt

With more than 240 million children at risk of getting parasitic intestinal worms, the government has launched a major drive under which nearly nine crore children were given deworming tablets last year, Lok Sabha was today told.

"According to the World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation) database (2012), it is estimated that 241 million children (68 per cent) between the ages of 1-14 years in India are at risk of parasitic intestinal worms," Union Health Minister JP Nadda said.

The minister said that the government last year launched National Deworming Day in 11 states and UTs with a target of covering 100 million children between ages of 1-19 years.

The campaign managed to cover a total of 89 million (85 per cent) children who received deworming tablet (Albendazole) on National Deworming Day 2015.

In 2016, National Deworming Day was observed on February 10 across the country with a target of covering approximately 270 million children.

The government is seeking technical assistance from WHO and an international organisation Evidence Action's 'Deworm the World Initiative' for effective implementation of National Deworming Day, the minister said.