By PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
The Cross River State Ministry of Health has launched a comprehensive state-wide, school-based deworming exercise to treat against soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and Schistosomiasis (SCH) that are particularly common in children, will commenced on April 24 through 29, 2024.
The treatment will take place in 14 Local Government Areas in Cross River State (with Abi, Ikom, Boki and Obubra to be captured in a different programme).
In Nigeria, over 48 million school-age children require treatment for STH infection and 16.6 million school-age children require treatment for schistosomiasis. 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, as well as impaired mental and physical development—ultimately affecting children’s educational outcomes and income as adults if left untreated.
School-based deworming is implemented by the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) program 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.
During this round of treatment in Cross River State, a total of 623,828 school aged children are targeted to receive Mebendazole tablets for the preventive treatment of STH and 173,000 will be targeted for Schistosomiasis treatment. About 1000 health care workers have been trained for the exercise billed to cover over 2000 schools and 2,000 communities across the 14 LGAs.
Authorities of both public and public schools in the state are enjoined to support this exercise by allowing the deworming of children in their respective schools.
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