Niranjan Raj Thapa

A parasite is an organism that depends on another living organism  for its survival. Parasites can have a direct impact on human health, social life, education, labor productivity, and the economy. The risk of parasitic infections increases due to contaminated water, unsafe food, poor sanitation, open defecation, and inadequate personal hygiene.

Intestinal worms, Giardia, Amoeba, and other parasites can cause malnutrition, anemia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and impaired physical and mental development in children. These health problems can lead to poor school attendance, reduced work productivity, and increased healthcare costs, placing an additional economic burden on families and communities.

From a public health perspective, several preventive measures are highly effective, including drinking safe water, using sanitary toilets, washing hands regularly with soap and water, thoroughly cleaning fruits and vegetables, eating properly cooked food, wearing footwear, and taking deworming medication periodically as recommended by health professionals. In addition, health education, public awareness, and active community participation in sanitation play a vital role in controlling parasitic infections.