Tamil Nadu to distribute deworming tablets to 2.58 crore on August 10
The Tamil Nadu government will distribute deworming tablets to over 2.58 crore people on August 10, as part of the National Deworming Day campaign. The drive will cover 2.06 crore children and adolescents aged one to 19 years, and 52.44 lakh women aged 20 to 30 years. Special camps will be held at 54,481 anganwadis, 11,723 health sub-centres, and 56,483 schools across the state, according to a press release from the Health Department.
The National Deworming Day is observed twice a year, in February and August, by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. On August 10, camps will function from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A follow-up round is scheduled for August 17 to cover those who missed the first day. The department urged all parents to ensure their children attend these camps and receive the tablets.
Children aged one to two years will be given half a 400 mg Albendazole tablet (200 mg), while those aged two to 19 years and women aged 20 to 30 years will receive one full 400 mg tablet. Albendazole is a safe and effective anti-parasitic medicine that eliminates intestinal worms, which are a major cause of anaemia, malnourishment, and impaired physical and cognitive development in children. Regular deworming is a proven public health intervention recommended by the World Health Organisation, particularly in regions where soil-transmitted helminth infections are common.
To conduct the massive exercise, the Health Department has mobilised 54,481 anganwadi workers, 59,700 school and college teachers, 6,543 doctors, 12,456 village health nurses, and 2,650 accredited social health activists (ASHAs). These personnel will be stationed at the camps to administer the tablets and monitor for any adverse effects, although Albendazole is generally well-tolerated. The department also noted that deworming helps prevent nutritional deficiencies and improves overall health, contributing to better school attendance and productivity.
This statewide effort is part of a national programme aimed at eliminating intestinal worm infections as a public health problem among children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age. The Tamil Nadu government has a track record of conducting such drives effectively, and this year's campaign is expected to cover a wide demographic across urban and rural areas. Health officials have appealed to all eligible beneficiaries to take advantage of the free distribution and cooperate with the workers at the camps.
