‘MIXED FRUIT FLAVOUR’ DEWORMING TABLETS FOR KIDS THIS TIME

Children will now be given ‘mixed-fruit flavour’ deworming tablets. In a drive on February 28, the health department will distribute these tablets free of cost to school children in age group of one to 19 years.

“Over five crore children in Uttar Pradesh are to be covered under the forthcoming drive for deworming,” said Alok Kumar, mission director, National Health Mission. In Lucknow district, about 21 lakh kids will be given the medicine.

To improve coverage, the health department has for the first time engaged private schools also in the deworming drive, said officials.

Deworming is essential to save children from health problems such as anaemia, poor physical growth, loss of appetite, weight loss and frequent stomach pain.

Till now, the tablets did not have any flavour. Officials expect that after the introduction of flavoured tablets, kids would not only be more forthcoming in having the medicine but also propagate the importance of having it.

On February 28, the tablets will be distributed in those districts where election for first four phases has been conducted. As per officials, in the next round (date to be declared later) tablets will be provided to kids in districts where polls are held in the remaining phases.