According to the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), regular deworming eliminates worm infections in children and adolescents, thereby contributing to better nutrition and health. Helminthiasis is an infection or disease caused by parasitic worms. National Deworming Day is observed biennially on 10 February and 10 August in all states and union territories. Deworming is implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Education, and technical assistance from WHO and technical partners. It was launched in 2015.

National Deworming Day is a designated day for the treatment of intestinal worm infections in all children aged 1- 19 years. It is an anthelmintic tablet given to all children in schools and anganwadis by health workers, state governments, and other stakeholders for the control of Soil-Transmitted Helminth (STH) infection. Apart from deworming tablets, various health promotion activities related to water, sanitation, and hygiene are organized in schools and Anganwadis. The deworming program is a large-scale, effective program reaching millions of children and adolescents through a safe drug, albendazole.

Worm infections are high in India and 64% of the Indian population under the age of 14 is at risk of Soil-Transmitted Worm (STH) or Worm Infection (WHO). Soil-transmitted worms (STH) interfere with nutrient absorption in children; Which can lead to anemia, malnutrition, and impaired mental and physical development. Malnutrition and anemia conditions (STH) associated with soil-transmitted worms range from 40% to 70% in different population groups (WHO) across the country. These pose a serious threat to children’s education and productivity later in life.

Intestinal parasitic worms are large multicellular organisms that, when mature, can usually be seen with the naked eye. They are also called helminths. They are often referred to as intestinal worms, even though not all worms live in the intestines. Soil-transmitted insects are transmitted through contaminated soil. Intestinal worms are parasites that live in the human intestines and take away essential nutrients and vitamins for a baby.

Three main types of worms infect people, roundworms (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworms (Trichuris Trichur), and hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale).
These insects depend on the human body for their food and survival and lay thousands of eggs every day while living there. Soil-transmitted worms are transmitted by eggs that are passed in the feces of infected people. In areas where there is a lack of adequate sanitation, these eggs contaminate the soil.

India’s deworming Anganwadi and school-based mass deworming program is safe and cost-effective and can quickly reach millions of children. Safe and Beneficial Tablets Albendazole (400 mg) and Mebendazole (500 mg) are evidence-based, globally accepted, and effective solutions for effective and affordable worm infestation control by non-medical personnel (eg teachers). National Deworming Day is designed to reach out to all children regardless of socio-economic background, celebrate it with gusto and be happy and healthy.

Satywan Saurabh is a Research Scholar, Poet, Independent Journalist, and Columnist,All India Radio and TV Panelist

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