DHUBRI, Aug 10 - Lakhs of children in Dhubri and South Salmara-Mankachar districts are suffering from worm infection, which as per an estimate by the National Health Mission is sure to cross the 60 per cent barrier.
While addressing a press conference, the Additional Chief Medical Officer, Nabin Bhuyan, said that the situation of the districts when it comes to worm infection of the children between the ages of 1 to 19 years is very grim. Worm infection is the main reason behind the high rate of anaemia, malnourishment, impaired mental and irregular physical development cases in the districts, he added.
�In many cases, it leads to some of the serious threats to children�s health, education and productivity,� Bhuyan said, adding that the infected children cannot concentrate on their studies and they find difficulties in various day-to-day activities.
Meanwhile, the NHM is observing National Deworming Day on Thursday and aims to cover 6,98,860 children under 19 years of age. It was also informed that the children under age five would be fed with medicines by visiting door-to-door anganwadi workers while trained teachers will feed the rest of the children in the schools. The medical officials will also cover the students of private schools. The officials said that those children who do not go to schools will also be covered under the programme.
