NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indian children are getting deworming treatment in a massive national campaign to prevent parasitic worms from infecting them and impairing their mental and physical development.

In a village on the outskirts of the Indian capital, hundreds of children washed their hands and lined up to chew the tablets given to them by their teachers and health workers before opening their bags for studies on Wednesday morning.

The campaign is targeting 270 million children across the country with Wednesday's effort and another next week for children missed on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Worms interfere with nutrient uptake in children and could lead to anemia, malnourishment and physical and mental impairment.