Drive to deworm children from Nov 4
BOONI: The Khyber Pakthunkhwa government is launching a deworming campaign which will cover children aged five to 14 years.
The drive will start on November 4 and conclude on November 8, said the district administration of Upper Chitral on Thursday.
At a meeting held in Booni with Deputy Commissioner Haseebur Rehman Khan Khalil on Friday, the participants reviewed arrangements for the campaign.
The participants were informed that intestinal parasites affect the growth of children and also lead to malnutrition.
During the campaign by the health department and the elementary and secondary education department, over 78,000 children in schools and religious seminaries of 22 districts would be covered.
The World Health Organization says that Pakistan is among 10 countries where intestinal worms are common among children.
According to a survey, about 20 per cent children are affected by intestinal parasites in 22 districts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
The district administration asked parents to get their children dewormed during the campaign.
In places where soil-transmitted helminths are prevalent, the World Health Organization advises periodic medication treatment to deworm all children.