Over 17 million children of Bihar have been provided with deworming treatment as part of one of largest school-based efforts ever conducted in the world, which has also helped reduce absenteeism by 25 per cent. Disclosing this here today, Alissa Fishbane, managing director of Deworm the World, a global initiative in this regard, said the programme was carried out by Bihar government with technical assistance and training provided by them. The programme was implemented from February through April 2011. Bihar, she said, has a very high rate of parasitic worm infection with all school-age children at risk. Over 50 per cent of school-age children are infected in most districts, according to prevalence surveys conducted by Deworm the World. She claimed that it has helped reduce school absenteeism by as much as 25 per cent. As worm infections damage children's health, education and development, all school-age children in Bihar nearly 21 million were targeted for deworming by this programme. She said infected children are more likely to suffer from malnutrition and anaemia and research has shown that children who remain infected earn 43 per cent less as adults, and are 13 per cent less likely to be literate. During the programme, nearly 140,000 teachers throughout Bihar were trained to deliver the medication, supported by 20,000 healthcare staff trained. The programme treated children between the ages 6 and 14 through network of 67,000 government schools state-wide. Deworm the World previously supported the Government of Andhra Pradesh to launch a school-based deworming programme.