Children in Sonepat fall sick after using deworming tablets

SONEPAT: According to report on Thursday, Almost eighteen children are undergoing of illness after taking deworming tablets in Sonipat of Haryana. India on Wednesday launched the National Deworming day, covering around 27 crore children across 536 districts. Disclosing   a few incidences of children complaining of abdominal pain after taking the medicine, Albendazole, the programme was conducted uneventfully. “Of the eighteen children, only three had pain in the abdomen. The rest were fine,” Sonipat Civil Surgeon, Dr Jaswant Punia said. “It is normal for a few to have such reaction when a large number of children are being administered the tablets,” he said. Abdominal pain is a normal reaction in cases where the intestines are full of worms. “This is a common reaction and there is nothing to worry,” said a senior paediatrician at Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi. In Delhi, 40 lakh children were given the medicine. Along with Albendazole tablets, behaviour change practices in terms of cleanliness, hygiene, use of toilets, wearing shoes, washing hands etc. is also important to reduce incidents of re-infection,” said Union health minister JP Nadda.