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National Worm Week (22-28 May) - Collective efforts needed to build worm-free society

RAJSHAHI, May 20: Speakers at an advocacy meeting here recently stressed the need for making the forthcoming deworming week scheduled to be observed from May 22 to 28 a total success for building a worm- free society, reprots BSS.
They underlined the need on creating widespread health awareness among the school-going children for controlling to prevent many communicable diseases.
Terming the schoolboys and girls as the most vulnerable to worm infection, they called for making them aware about health hygiene and using sanitary latrine together with proper hand washing before taking every meal.
They were addressing the central level meeting organized by the Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) at its conference hall ahead of the National Worm Control week.
The main objective of the meeting was to disseminate ideas among the stakeholders and other policy-makers so that they could play a vital role in creating awareness about controlling the worm.
Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton addressed the meeting as the chief guest chaired by Ward Councilor Mukhlesur Rahman Khalil. The discussion was addressed by Chief Executive Officer Ajaher Ali, Civil Surgeon Dr Shahidul Islam, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Betar Rashed Ahmed and Thana Education Officer Mustari Begum as special guests.
Mayor Liton revealed that a large number of boys and girls are school-going in the metropolis and if they could be prevented from worm- infection, they would be protected from different intestinal diseases easily.
He pointed out that the teachers have a vital role to play in this regard and said knowledge, attitude and practice could help prevent 80 percent of both the communicable and non- communicable diseases along with malnutrition.
He said due attention should be given to creation of mass awareness through using both the print and electronic media and other state-level machinery responsible for the purpose to make this idea accessible to every section of the society.
Speaking on the occasion, RCC Chief Health Officer Dr Anzuman Ara Begum said some prolonged non-communicable diseases like diabetic, cardiac ailment, high blood pressure, stroke and respiratory inflamation are responsible for 60 percent of the total death.
But the death rate could be reduced to a greater extent after following some health related rules and regulations strictly, she added.
Referring to the achievement in elimination of smallpox, she said the disease could be prevented through a collective effort of all concerned including the media.