Srinagar : Prinicipal Secretary Health & Medical Educationpr, Dr Pawan Kotwal Monday said that the government was aiming to deworm at least 52 lakh children on eve of the National deworming day .

He was addressing the State Level Coordination Committee meeting for NDD with the officials of the Health, Education, ICDS, Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation and Panchayati Raj departments here at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar.

National Deworming Day is slated to be observed on 10th August 2018 across the Country with special focus on aspirational districts through Extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyan.

Dr Pawan Kotwal urged the line departments to give their full cooperation and coordinate with the health department for observing NDD effectively.

He also called for concerted efforts to make the entire State free from Soil Transmitted Helminths, and to give emphasis on sanitation, cleanliness and for developing effective IEC strategies for community awareness and mobilization during National Deworming Day.

Along with Albendazole administration, he directed the officers to ensure behaviour change practices in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, use of toilets, wearing shoes/chappals, washing hands etc. which is also important to reduce incidents of re-infection.

Deworming of the children ensures prevention of cognitive disability as well decreasing the school drop-out rate of children by improving the overall health of the children. All these initiatives move us closer to overall wholesome development.