Ques: On February 9, 2016, at which place the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, inaugurated the National Deworming initiative?
(a) Hyderabad
(b) Indore
(c) Jaipur
(d) New Delhi
Ans (a)
Related facts:
- On February 10, 2016. National Deworming Day was celebrated across the country.
- National Deworming Day (NDD) aims to deworm all children between the ages of 1-19 years through Government, Government-aided and private schools, and centres.
- Also to improve their overall well-being, nutritional status, access to education and quality of life.
- On 9 February 2016, J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched the National Deworming Day at a function in Hyderabad, Telangana.
- India has launched National Deworming Day 2016 to cover the whole country, aiming towards a massive target of 27 crore children in 536 districts of the country.
- The government first launched National Deworming Day (NDD) in 2015 which was implemented in 11 States/UTs.
- Under this program, on February 9, 2016, Albendazole tablet among all the targeted children was distributed.
- The NDD will be followed by a mop-up day on 15 February to cover children who might be left out earlier due to sickness or absenteeism, and will ensure maximum coverage with optimal utilization of resources.
- India has the highest burden of parasitic worms in the world.
- Parasitic worms in children interfere with nutrient uptake, and can contribute to anemia, malnourishment, and impaired mental and physical development.
- They are transmitted by eggs present in human faces, which in turn contaminate soil in areas where sanitation is poor.
- There are three main types of intestinal worms: 1. Round worm Ascaris lumbricoides), 2. whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) and 3. hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale).
- Worms can increase the malabsorption of nutrients; roundworm may compete for Vitamin A in the intestine.
Reference:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=136254
http://nrhm.gov.in/nrhm-components/rmnch-a/child-health-immunization/national-deworming-day-2016.html
http://nrhm.gov.in/images/pdf/NDD-2016/Guidelines/Draft_NDD_2016_Operational_Guidelines.pdf
http://nrhm.gov.in/images/pdf/NDD-2016/Guidelines/NDD_Brief.pdf