48 million Nigerian children require deworming while Lagos proceeds

From May 20 to May 24, 2024, the Lagos State Ministry of Health’s Neglected Tropical Diseases unit will launch a widespread deworming program in schools.

In addition, the NTD reported that approximately 48 million Nigerian children of school age required treatment for soil-transmitted helminthiasis infections, which are primarily caused by unsanitary and unhygienic settings and are most common in school-age children.

The campaign will target around 1.4 million school-age children who are not enrolled in school and those who are enrolled in both public and private institutions.

The Federal Ministry of Health, the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, and the Lagos State Ministry of Health collaborate to carry out the school-based deworming program under the Neglected Tropical Disease program.

The NTD Coordinator, State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Roseline Dawodu, spoke on Friday at an Interactive stakeholders’ meeting with journalists about the school deworming program. She explained that if Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis was not treated, it could result in anemia, malnourishment, and physical impairment that would compromise a child’s educational outcomes and adult income.

Soil-Transmitted Different species of parasitic worms, which are spread by the eggs found in human feces and contaminate the soil in unsanitary places, are the source of helminth diseases.

She said, “The campaign will distribute Mebendazole tablets for preventative treatment of soil-transmitted helminthiasis, administered by over 3,000 well-trained community health workers and teachers, to school-aged children in 10 high burden Local Government Areas; Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Amuwo Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo and Shomolu in the state.”

Dawodu went on to claim that more than 48 million school-age children in Nigeria required treatment for STH infections, which are mostly caused by unsanitary and unhygienic environments.

She disclosed that Evidence Action has been a consistent collaborator since 2021, offering technical support to the Federal and Lagos State Governments for the execution of school-based deworming programs.

The meeting’s goals, according to Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director of Public Affairs at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, were to improve journalists’ and media’s awareness and comprehension of the Lagos School Deworming program.

“To foster a collaborative relationship with media journalists and secure their commitment to disseminate accurate and timely information about the Lagos school deworming programme and to ensure continuous and timely collaboration between development partners and the media for health-related

programme in the state, ” he said.
In the capacity of Country Director Tope Ogunbi, Senior Program Manager of Evidence Action Maryann Edeh stated that Evidence Action was prepared to move into the 10 LGAs and guarantee that all children at risk between the ages of five and fourteen have access to these medications.

“The medicines are safe, they are free of charge. We are using this opportunity to call on every parent to release their children,” she advised.

Director Social Mobilisation, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Hazmat Omolaja, also said

“Every parent should allow their children to take the deworming drug because it is very important.

” When children take it, they become healthier, and when they are healthy, they pay better attention in class, which enhances learning outcomes.”