A United States of America (USA), based non-governmental organisation, Evidence Action said it has concluded plans to embark on mass deworming of school age children in thirteen Local Government Areas in Oyo state.
Programme Manager of the NGO, Mr. Joseph Kumbur, revealed this during an interactive section with members of the Social Mobilization Committee, which included; religious leaders, community leaders and media practitioners, in Ibadan, on Monday.
Kumbur revealed further that the project tagged “Deworming Campaign”, which will commence on October 23, 2018, will target over 800, 000 children between ages 5 and 14 in the local government areas.
According to him, the project will be taken to about 4,500 schools within the council areas, which include; Afijio, Akinyele, Atiba, Egbeda, Irepo, Iseyin, Lagelu, Ogo-Oluwa, Oluyole, Ona-Ara, Oyo East, Oyo West and Saki East.
The Evidence Action’s Programme Manager, informed that Nigeria has over 70% of worm burden in Africa, and that it is endemic in rural communities.
According to him, the NGO has treated over 3 million children in four states of Nigeria, including Rivers, Cross Rivers, Ogun and Oyo, since 2016 it started its operations in the country.
Identifying the negative effects of worms, Kumbur maintained that they hinder normal growth as well as intellectual and cognitive development in children.
He revealed further that the NGO will train and make use of teachers to administer drugs to pupils in their respective schools.
In her own remarks, Mrs. Jemila Aderonke Aliyu, State Coordinator for Neglected Tropical Diseases, said Out of School Children within the thirteen council areas will also benefit from the project.
