National Deworming Day observed on February 10

Key facts

• National Deworming Day is observed in India annually on February 10, with a mop-up round conducted on August 10.
• The programme was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• The initiative targets children and adolescents aged between one and 19 years through schools and Anganwadi centres.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends periodic mass deworming as a cost-effective preventive measure compared to individual screening.
• The programme utilises medicines such as Albendazole and Mebendazole to treat infections caused by roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm.
• According to the article, nearly 64 per cent of children in India are at risk of intestinal parasitic infections.
• Preventive deworming is recommended every six months in areas where worm infections are common, particularly for children up to 14 years of age.