Health experts and public representatives at an advocacy meeting today called upon all concerned for making the weeklong de-worming campaign successful to ensure healthier growth of children.
They made the call at the event organised by Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) at its conference room here to make the National Worm Control Week and Health Check-up of Students by Young Physicians from October 1 to 7 next in the city successful.
Mayor of Rangpur Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa attended the advocacy meeting as the chief guest with Chief Executive Officer of RpCC Akhter Hossain Azad in the chair.
Divisional Director (Health) Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman, Panel Mayor Mahmudur Rahman Titu, Secretary of RpCC Abu Saleh Md Musa Jongi, its Chief Health Officer Dr Kamruzzaman Ibne Taz and Chief of the Health Division Saiful Islam addressed as special guests.
The Directorate of Health of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been extending assistance to the RpCC authority to make the weeklong de-worming campaign a success.
Under the programme, the RpCC authority will administer de-worming Albendazole tablets to 1.40 lakh school-going children (5-16 years) at 498 primary and secondary level schools, madrashas and kindergartens in the city from Sept 1 to 7 next.
The health officials underscored the need for preventing higher rate of worm infections among the school-going children through ensuring their intake of de-worming tablets twice a year to avoid malnutrition and ensure their normal and healthier growth.
They said the schoolchildren should be well-educated about importance of proper hand-washing techniques before taking meals to prevent spread of communicable diseases and make them aware of essential health and hygiene factors.
Mayor Mostafa urged teachers of all primary and secondary level educational institutions, guardians, health officials, supervisors and volunteers to make the de-worming campaign successful for building a healthier nation.
