Maharashtra is set for one of the largest single-day child health drives in the country this week. On Tuesday, October 27, around 2.5 crore children and adolescents aged 1 to 19 years will receive deworming tablets across the state as part of National Deworming Day 2026, with schools, colleges and Anganwadi centres turning into distribution points for the day.
The campaign, run jointly by the Public Health, Education and Women and Child Development departments, will cover every district and municipal corporation area. Teachers will hand out tablets in schools and colleges, while Anganwadi workers will reach younger children and those out of school. A mop-up round on November 3 will cover every child who misses Tuesday’s dose.
For parents, the message from health officials is simple: send your child to school or the nearest Anganwadi on October 27, and let them take the tablet under supervision. The dose is free, it takes seconds, and it protects against a problem that is far more common than most families realise.
Why deworming matters for children
Intestinal worm infections are among the most common childhood health problems in India, and they rarely announce themselves loudly. A child with worms may feel tired, lose appetite, fall ill often, or grow more slowly than classmates. Over time, the infection can lead to anaemia and malnutrition, affecting concentration, learning and physical development.
A single dose of albendazole, given under guidance, clears common intestinal worms. The national programme has run since 2015, with tablets given twice a year to children and adolescents aged 1 to 19 years. When a whole classroom is dewormed together, reinfection drops, and the gains in nutrition and school attendance last well beyond the day of the dose.
Mumbai alone will cover over 19 lakh children
In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will administer deworming tablets to 19,20,015 children across schools and Anganwadi centres, assisted by health workers, ASHA workers and Anganwadi staff.
Other districts have published their own targets as well. Palghar district has mobilised 3,365 health workers to cover 5,56,910 beneficiaries. Nagpur Rural expects to reach 4,40,994 children and adolescents. Panvel Municipal Corporation is targeting 1,54,540 children. In Thane, the municipal health department has issued hygiene guidelines alongside the drive and appealed to parents to take part, using the campaign slogan, “Worm-free children, healthy children.”
Behind these numbers sits a large coordination exercise. The state School Education Department issued detailed instructions on October 22, asking district-level coordination committees chaired by District Collectors to oversee the work, and medical officers to train education officers, supervisors and school nodal teachers ahead of the day.
Who will get the tablet, and where
The campaign covers a very wide net. On the list are:
- Children aged 1 to 6 years, through Anganwadi centres
- Students of government, government-aided and unaided private schools, ashram schools and municipal and corporation schools
- Students of CBSE schools, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Army schools, madrasas, missionary schools and gurukuls
- Students of junior colleges and first-year students of senior colleges, including nursing, ITI, polytechnic, engineering, arts, commerce, science and pharmacy institutions
- Children who are out of school, reached through Anganwadi workers and health staff
Tablets will be given in age-appropriate doses under the guidance of health authorities, and field officers will visit schools and Anganwadis on both days to report back to the Health Department.
What parents should do on October 27
First, make sure your child reaches school or the Anganwadi on Tuesday. If your child is unwell on the day, or misses school for any reason, do not worry: the mop-up round on November 3 exists precisely for such cases, and the dose can be given then.
Second, do not give a deworming tablet at home on your own unless a health worker advises it. The campaign dose is supervised, age-appropriate and recorded, which is what makes the mass drive safe and effective.
Third, use the day as a reminder about habits that keep worms away: handwashing with soap, safe drinking water, washed fruits and vegetables, short clean nails, footwear outdoors, and no open defecation.
For a state with 2.5 crore young beneficiaries, Tuesday is less a single event and more a statewide appointment. One tablet, taken together, is a small act with a measurable payoff: healthier children, fuller classrooms, and fewer of the quiet infections that hold young learners back.
FAQs
When is National Deworming Day 2026 in Maharashtra?
The campaign will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, across all districts of Maharashtra, with a mop-up day on November 3 for children who miss the dose.
How many children will be covered in Maharashtra?
Around 2.5 crore children and adolescents aged 1 to 19 years will receive deworming tablets, including 19,20,015 children in Mumbai alone.
Which tablet is given, and is it free?
Children receive a dose of albendazole, given free of cost in an age-appropriate dose under the supervision of teachers, Anganwadi workers and health staff.
Where should my child go for the tablet?
Students get the tablet at their institution, while younger and out-of-school children are covered through Anganwadi centres.
What if my child misses the dose on October 27?
A mop-up round will be held on November 3, 2026, when eligible children who missed the first day can still receive the tablet.
Parents with questions about the drive can contact their child’s school, the nearest Anganwadi centre, or the local primary health centre for guidance.
