Overview On February 10, 2026 , the district administration of Kalaburagi will launch the National Deworming Day (NDD) campaign targeting 9,98,205 children aged 1‑19 years. The drive is being steered by Deputy Commissioner B. Fouzia Taranum , who has set an ambitious goal of achieving 100% coverage after recording 98.5% coverage in the 2024‑25 cycle. The initiative underscores the slogan “Dewormed Children, Healthy Children” and integrates health, education, and community welfare mechanisms. Key Developments Development 1: A preparatory meeting chaired by DC B. Fouzia Taranum with Health Department officials finalized the operational plan, emphasizing the role of anganwadis, schools, colleges, ASHA workers, and Community Health Officers (CHOs) in tablet distribution. Development 2: The campaign will administer Albendazole tablets according to age‑specific norms – half tablet for 1‑2‑year‑olds, a full crushed tablet mixed with water for 2‑3‑year‑olds, and chewable tablets for children 3‑19 years. Development 3: A “mop‑up round” is scheduled for February 16, 2026 to reach any child missed on the main day, ensuring no eligible beneficiary is left behind. Important Facts Fact 1: Target beneficiaries – 1,64,760 children (1‑5 years) and 8,33,445 children (6‑19 years) – will receive tablets through a coordinated network of anganwadis, schools, PU colleges, ITIs, and diploma colleges. Fact 2: Key officials present at the meeting included District Health Officer Sharanabasappa Kyatanal , RCHO Sidram Patil , District Surgeon Asna Rukia Raba , and representatives from Women & Child Development and Education departments, reflecting an inter‑departmental approach. UPSC Relevance This case study touches upon several UPSC syllabus components: Public Health Administration (GS Paper II), Implementation of Central Schemes (GS Paper III), and Inter‑departmental Coordination (GS Paper II). Questions may probe the effectiveness of NDD, challenges in achieving universal coverage, dosage safety protocols, or the role of local governance in health outreach. Comparative analysis with other states’ deworming programmes can also be asked. Way Forward To sustain 100% coverage, the district must strengthen real‑time monitoring, leverage digital tools for beneficiary tracking, and intensify community awareness campaigns. Scaling up the mop‑up mechanism, ensuring cold‑chain‑free tablet storage, and integrating NDD data with the National Health Mission dashboard will enhance accountability and provide a model for replication across Karnataka and other states.