Odisha largely free from caste, religion resonance in electoral politics
Caste calculation, religious affiliation has never emerged as a tool to woo voters.
The National Deworming Day (NDD), biannual round campaign for Odisha on 4 April, 2018 will de-worm children from 1 year to 19 years across the state, involving four government departments ~ Health &FW, WCD, SME, Panchayati Raj and SC/ST Welfare ~ working together.
Talking to reporters here, the ADCH-cum-Director Family Welfare (I/C) Dr Kamalakanta Das said, “This year under the National Deworming Day, Odisha government aims to reach approximately 1.3 crore children across all 30 districts. In six districts where there is a prevalence of Lymphatic Filariasis, we are combining the NDD round with Mass Drug Administration campaign through door to door visits.”
“This strategy will help us in not just improving nutrition of children by combatting worm infestation transmitted through soil, but also elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis, infestation acquired during childhood but manifested in adults that can cause temporary or permanent disability,” said Dr Das.
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In Odisha, the state government has combined the NDD rounds with Vitamin A supplementation for all children from 9 months to 5 years. This year’s round is also combined with combatting Lymphatic Filariasis in six districts of high prevalencenamely, Angul, Deogarh, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jhasuguda and Nayagarh.
Teachers and Anganwadi workers are trained by the government and the deworming drug is given to them to administer to children at school and anganwadis.
Door to door visits will be done in six districts where the campaign is linked with Lymphatic Filariasis. Any child who is not dewormed on National Deworming Day (4 April) due to sickness or absenteeism will be administered the tablet on 11 April 2018.
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