Gondia health officials visit schools, anganwadis as deworming drive runs for children aged 1 to 19

The National Deworming Day drive is under way in Gondia district from October 27. Health department teams have taken the field to free children and adolescents aged 1 to 19 from worm infections.

To ensure the drive is being implemented properly and the tablets are actually reaching children, senior district health officials made surprise visits to schools and anganwadis in different tehsils and reviewed the arrangements. District Health Officer Dr Abhijit Golhar went to Amgaon, while Assistant District Health Officer Dr Arvindkumar Waghmare and District Extension and Media Officer Vijay Akhade visited Goregaon tehsil. District Maternal and Child Health Officer Dr Rajesh Belamkar visited schools and anganwadis in Salekasa tehsil. All tehsil health officers and medical officers also visited schools and anganwadis in their own areas. The aim of going village to village is that not a single child is left out of the deworming tablet.

Dr Golhar personally visited several schools and anganwadis in Amgaon tehsil. He spoke to young children and asked them about taking the tablets, and directed that the drive's target of 100 per cent coverage be met. Amgaon Tehsil Health Officer Dr Vedprakash Choragade was with him.

Dr Waghmare visited educational institutions and anganwadis in Goregaon tehsil, accompanied by Mr Akhade. He gave field staff necessary instructions on distributing the tablets safely.

Dr Belamkar inspected schools and anganwadis in the remote and rural areas of Salekasa. He said special attention should be paid to children's health and that care should be taken to ensure no child is left out of the drive.

District Programme Manager Archana Wankhede inspected health facilities, schools and anganwadis in Tiroda tehsil. She said care should be taken that children who are out of school also receive the deworming tablets.

November 3 will be a mop-up day. A mop-up day will be held on November 3 for all children who could not take the albendazole tablet on October 27 because of absence or other reasons. Dr Golhar, Dr Waghmare and Dr Belamkar expressed confidence that the health department will actively reach the last section of the population in remote and rural areas and that the drive will be a 100 per cent success.