Issued by: Dr. P. Jagadeeswara Rao, District Medical and Health Officer, Visakhapatnam.

Visakhapatnam- Indian News Times- Speaking to the press today(26.09.2026), Dr. P. Jagadeeswara Rao, District Medical and Health Officer, Visakhapatnam, announced that the 18th National Deworming Day will be observed in Visakhapatnam district on September 28, 2026. As part of this program, measures to eliminate intestinal worms will be undertaken by administering Albendazole tablets to children, adolescents, and students aged 1 to 19 years.

The program will be implemented extensively across Anganwadi centers, government and private schools, junior colleges, and other educational institutions in the district. Approximately 5,74,496 children aged 1–19 years in the district have been targeted for the distribution of deworming tablets.
On the occasion of National Deworming Day, children aged 1 to 2 years should be given half of a 400 mg Albendazole tablet mixed with water. Children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years should be given a full 400 mg Albendazole tablet to be chewed and swallowed with water.  Children should be administered the tablets after a meal—not on an empty stomach—under the supervision of health staff or teachers.
A "mop-up day" is scheduled for October 5, 2026, to ensure that children who could not take the tablets or were absent on September 28 receive them.
Medical and health officials stated that roundworm infections can lead to issues such as anemia, malnutrition, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and weakness in children. They emphasized the need to ensure the deworming program reaches all eligible children to improve their health, nutritional status, and school attendance.

The program will be successfully implemented under the aegis of the District Medical and Health Department, in coordination with the Education, Women and Child Welfare, Tribal Welfare, and Municipal departments, as well as other relevant agencies. Officials instructed Anganwadi workers, teachers, ASHA workers, ANMs, and other health staff to pay special attention to ensuring that all eligible children in their respective areas receive the tablets.
District Medical and Health officials appealed to parents to ensure their children take the deworming tablets and to cooperate with health staff and educational institutions to make the program a success.

District Medical and Health Officer
                Visakhapatnam