The Telangana government has announced a massive initiative to administer deworming tablets ‘Albendazole’ to a staggering 99 lakh children between the ages of 1 and 19 years across the State. The program will be launched by Health Minister Harish Rao on Thursday at the Madapati Hanumantha Rao Girls High School in Narayanaguda.
In preparation for this extensive campaign, the State government has diligently trained 41,337 teachers and 35,700 anganwadi workers Among the targeted children, approximately 60.56 lakh attend government educational institutions, 34.68 lakh study in private schools, and the remaining 3.73 lakh are out-of-school children.
For the safe and effective administration of Albendazole, specific dosage guidelines have been provided based on the child’s age. Children aged 1-2 years will be given half a tablet, which will be powdered and mixed with water. Those aged 2-3 years will receive one full tablet in powder form, mixed with water. Meanwhile, children between the ages of 3 and 19 years are recommended to swallow the tablet whole with water. However, health workers have been advised not to administer the tablets to children who come with an empty stomach, ensuring their safety during the process.
Albendazole, the chosen medication for this initiative, is primarily used to treat infections caused by worms, including neurocysticercosis, an infection of the nervous system caused by pork tapeworms. Additionally, the medicine is effective against cystic hydatid disease of the liver, lung, and peritoneum, which is caused by dog tapeworms.
In 2022, the government had administered the tablet to 96.47 lakh children.
