THE coordinator, Cross River State Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) in the state’s Ministry of Health, Mrs Veronica Mark, has revealed plans to implement a free school-based deworming programme for 886,292 children from aged five to 14 years across 14 local government areas of the state.
She said the exercise, which is coming up between April 24 and 29, will focus on the treatment of Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) and Schistosomiasis (SCH), which are common in children.
She disclosed that about 1,000 healthcare workers are undergoing training to administer the deworming tablets in over 2,000 schools and 2,000 communities across 14 local government areas, excluding Abi, Boki, Ikom and Obubra local government areas.
She added that the exercise will close existing inequality gaps that undermine the country’s development goals of equal access to health and education.
“These infections known as intestinal worm infections result from poor sanitation and hygiene conditions and tend to have the highest prevalence in school-age children. The infections can lead to anemia, malnourishment and impaired mental and physical development-ultimately affecting children’s educational outcomes and income as adults if left untreated.
“During this round of treatment in the state, a total of 623,828 school aged children will be targeted to receive Mebendazole tablets for the preventive treatment of STH and 173,000 will be targeted for Schistosomiasis (SCH) treatment.
The Senior Manager, Evidence Action, Nigeria, Tochi Ohaji, hinted that since 2016 in Nigeria, Evidence Action had been providing technical assistance to the federal and Cross River State governments on implementing school-based deworming for soil transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis in the state, delivering treatment to over 600,000 children in both public and private schools annually.
Nigerian Tribune reports that school-based deworming is implemented by the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) programme of the Cross Rivers State Ministry of Health in partnership with the State Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board and the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
ALSO READ: One feared killed, two others injured in LAUTECH students’ clash
