What is the Pakistan Deworming Initiative?
The Pakistan Deworming Initiative (PDI) provides school-aged children, from 5 to 14 years, with deworming treatment at schools and in communities, to control intestinal worm infections, across at-risk districts in the country.
What Are Intestinal Worms?
Worms are parasites, which live in human intestines for food and survival. Intestinal worm infections – or soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections – affect children’s health, leading to anemia, malnourishment, and issues with mental and physical development
What Are Intestinal Worms?
Worms are parasites, which live in human intestines for food and survival. Intestinal worm infections – or soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections – affect children’s health, leading to anemia, malnourishment, and issues with mental and physical development.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
17 Million
Annual Targets for Deworming
23 Million
Treatments Delivered (2019-2022)
45
Total At-Risk Districts
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
The Initiative in Action
Health problems among Pakistan’s youth mean children are less likely to attend school;
To help children follow their educational aspirations and dreams for the future, PDI is targeting to deworm
17 million at-risk children across the 45 districts of Pakistan annually.
Why Mass Deworming?
Delivered through trusted sources
The existing health and educational infrastructure and a network of teachers and health workers who are trusted and can be trained easily are leveraged to deliver treatments.
Learn MoreSafe & effective treatment
Mebendazole tablets have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) as an extremely safe and effective treatment, that is available free of charge to all school-aged children.
Learn MoreSafe & effective treatment
Mebendazole tablets have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) as an extremely safe and effective treatment, that is available free of charge to all school-aged children
Learn MoreLong-term impact for a brighter future
Rigorous evidence shows that mass deworming not only has a positive impact on children’s education and health, but also on their economic standing as adults.
Learn More
Recent Updates
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AJK Deworming Initiative will begin its mass deworming campaign on the 23rd and 24th January 2024 across Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli and Sudhnoti districts. Ensure to get your children dewormed in the annual deworming campaign!![]()
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#paytkaykeerayduursehatbharpoor #PDI #dewormingajk #DewormingDay
Islamabad Deworming Initiative is set to commence from 15th-19th January 2024 across Islamabad Capital Territory. Please ensure that your school age children are dewormed on these dates in the public, private and religious schools or in communities.![]()
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Payt kay keeray duur sehat bharpoor! ![]()
#islamabaddeworming #deworming #DewormingDay
Islamabad Deworming Initiative set to launch its 5th Mass Deworming Campaign![]()
"PAYT KAY KEERAY DUUR, SEHAT BHARPOOR"![]()
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Islamabad Deworming Initiative, is launching its 5th round of deworming campaign on 15-19 January 2024 in Islamabad Capital Territory respectively in an effort to target nearly 0.53 Million school-aged children which are at risk of intestinal worm infections. Islamabad successfully conducted the previous rounds from 2019-2022 respectively with over 996000+ medicines administered cumulatively. ![]()
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Senior Joint Secretary Education, Sohail Akhtar Malik, launched the 5th annual mass deworming program of the Islamabad Deworming Initiative at the Islamabad Model College for Girls, F-7/4. The deworming program will target nearly 0.53 Million school-age children in the capital territory during the deworming campaign from 15th-19th January 2023. All children enrolled in classes 1-10 will be dewormed in schools and madaris by trained teachers while the out-of-school children will be encouraged to visit the nearby schools to get themselves dewormed. Additionally the lady health workers will be visiting the schools and nearby households to deworm the children in communities. ![]()
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DG FDE, Mr. Tanvir Ahmed remarked that “Deworming is essential for a child’s physical and cognitive growth, and ensures resistance to other infections and improved school performance. It will significantly contribute towards the Government of Islamabad’s top health priorities which are reducing malnutrition and anemia!” Senior Joint Secretary Education, WHO National Professional Officer Dr. Qutbuddin Kakar, DG FDE Tanvir Ahmed, along with other government officials along with national and regional team of Interactive Research and Development and Evidence Action, also graced the event. They urged parents and guardians to cooperate with the school administration and ensure that their children are treated through a free and safe deworming medicine, during the deworming campaign.![]()
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Senior Joint Secretary Education, Mr. Sohail akhtar Malik remarked that “Intestinal worm infections, also known as soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections, can interfere with nutrient uptake, leading to anemia, malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development. STH infections pose a serious threat to long-term health, education, and productivity of Islamabad’s children and therefore require immediate attention. Annual mass deworming is particularly important for our children, as it helps to improve their physical and cognitive growth, enhance school participation, and ultimately long-term well-being”. ![]()
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Qadeer Baig, Senior Program Advisor Pakistan Deworming Initiative at IRD, said “Deworming is an evidence-based, cost-effective, and safe measure to better the health and future of our children. Moreover, mass deworming is in direct support of and positively impacts Islamabad’s progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals as well as the Government of Pakistan’s top health priorities around reductions in under nutrition and anemia.” ![]()
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Deputy Chief Health at Ministry of Planning Development and Special Initiatives, Dr. Murtaza Haider, urged parents and guardians to have their school-age child to get deworming treatment during the deworming campaign by the trained teachers in private and public schools and deeni madaris. He said that in the countries where deworming has already happened, the attendance of the children has been observed to increase by 25% so it is an important activity which will help in the better future of our children. ![]()
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National Professional Officer WHO, Dr. Qutbudding Kakar mentioned that World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 1.5 billion people, or nearly 1 in 4 of the world’s population, are infected globally with intestinal worms, also known as soil-transmitted helminths, with over 835 million children in need of treatment. These infections result from poor sanitation and hygiene conditions and tend to have the highest prevalence in school-age children. ![]()
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A national survey to assess intestinal worm infection in school-age children in 2016 found that approximately 17 million school-age children across Pakistan, including approximately 0.53Million children in ICT, are in need of annual deworming. Accordingly, over 24 million treatments have been successfully delivered in 2019-2023 across various districts in Pakistan. ![]()
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Islamabad Deworming Initiative is coordinated and led by the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination. At national level, strategic oversight is provided for Pakistan Deworming Initiative by Ministry of Planning Development & Special Initiatives with technical assistance from IRD Pakistan and and Evidence Action to ensure high-quality program delivery. Deworming medicine (Mebendazole 500 mg) supply is procured by the Ministry of National Health Services through the WHO’s Global Drug Donation Program (GDDP) and has been certified by The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).![]()
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#paytkaykeerayduursehatbharpoor #PDI #deworming
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