'72 pc students suffer from helminth infection in Khagrachhari'
Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari
Some 72 percent of students aged between 6 and 16 years in Khagrachhari are suffering from various diseases caused by helminth, a parasitic worm, according to a survey.Helminth infections lead to anaemia and malnutrition and also stunt the growth of children and badly affect their learning ability. The survey report was presented yesterday at an orientation programme aimed at raising awareness about the diseases. District Health Department organised the programme at Khagrachhari yesterday, with Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Taher in the chair. Helminth infections are transmitted through eating unwashed fruits and vegetables, drinking contaminated water, walking barefoot on worm-infested areas and mosquito bite, speakers at the programme said. They said the government launched a special project 'Filaria Control Project' in Khagrachhari to prevent the spread of parasitic diseases among schoolchildren. Some 1.12 lakh students will be given tablets from the first week of February under the project, they added. Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Belayet Hossen, Dr Shahid Talukder, District Education officer Indu Bhushan Dev spoke at the programme.
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