Soil Borne Infections

Soil Transmitted Helminthiases (STH) are the most important infections among the school going children in the country. There is no regular surveillance of such infections. Thus State/UTs wise status is not available. However as per WHO progress report on Soil Transmitted Helminthiases, 42 % of the children in South East Asia region are in need of deworming treatment and out of this 64% of children are from India. Under the school health programme, deworming tablets are provided to all the children bi annually. Beside this, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has also launched National Iron plus strategy for control of iron deficiency anaemia where all the children from 6 months to 18 years of age are provided weekly supplementation of iron and folic acid. Teacher and Anganwadi workers are also trained to supervise administration of the medicines and refer sick children.