To protect about 2.1million students against Neglected Tropical Diseases in Oyo state, the Federal Government of Nigeria, Oyo State government in partnership with a non-governmental organization, ‘Evidence Action’, on Tuesday officially kicked off the second round of 2019 school-based deworming exercise for School-Age Children (SAC).
The exercise which was flagged off at St. Michael Primary School, Ibadan on Tuesday was designed to be of benefit to school aged children within the range of 5 – 14 years in the state.
While speaking, the Programme Officer, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Public Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Rita Urude stated that the exercise is expected to last for five days.
The exercise which would take place in 21 local government council areas in the state according to Urude, is being partnered by Evidence Action, in the area of technical and financial support.
She said “Coordinated Deworming campaign of this nature requires a collective effort of every stakeholder.The Programme performance benchmark is to deworm at least 75 per cent of school-age children in Oyo State. Deworming of over 2.1 million school-age children targeted in Oyo State in 2019 is a task we need to accomplish. Together we must achieve this.
“The Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation have donated three million tablets of praziquantel and 600 tablets of mebendazole to Oyo State. Let me equally assure you that the FMoH will continue to provide technical support as well as ensure that deworming tablets for school-age children are donated to the State Programme.
“This coordinated deworming using school feeding platform no doubt will contribute to a drastic reduction in severe adverse reaction often experienced by children as a result of insufficient intake of solid food during mass administration of medicines with praziquantel tablets in school and communities. It will also contribute to improved coverage of deworming interventions in States.
“This campaign is expected to last for five years. It is important to reiterate that you are not alone in this campaign, as this nationwide coordinated school-age deworming and feeding programme is happening in 36 States and Federal Capital Territory. More than 29 million school-age children is targeted to be treated for 2019 nationwide.”
While giving his remark, Zonal Coordinator of ‘Evidence Action’, Mr. Femi Adepoju expressed his profound gratitude to all stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the deworming exercise.
Adepoju reminisced that the last exercise organised by the organization benefited over 700,000 school children in 13 local government areas in Oyo state.
Also speaking, the Honourable Commissioner for Health in Oyo State, Dr. Bashiru Bello enjoined parents and school children to take advantage of the program which he regarded as ‘Public Health Scholarship’
The commissioner maintained that the health sector is one of the 4 major cardinal points of the current government of Oyo state under the leadership of Engineer Seyi Makinde.
