By Sola Charles
The Lagos State Government has launched a free school-based mass deworming program in 10 endemic Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the State to combat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH).
The initiative, held in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the non-governmental group Evidence Action, intends to treat 1.4 million school-age children in Lagos State at risk of contracting parasitic worm illnesses. The youngsters range in age from five to fourteen.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, spoke at the flag-off at CMS Primary School in Bariga. He explained that 10 local governments—Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo, and Shomolu—are among those where soil-transmitted helminthiasis is endemic.
The Lagos State Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Coordinator, Mrs. Modupe Dawodu, represented Abayomi, who announced that the exercise will take place over five days, from Tuesday, November 21, to Saturday, November 25, 2023.
Children, aged five and 14 years, in schools and communities in the 10 LGAs will be dewormed and treated for soil-transmitted helminthiasis using Mebendazole Tablets (500mg) during the exercise.
“The Lagos State Ministry of Health is happy to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and Evidence Action to commence implementation of the school-based deworming exercise targeting children 5 to 14 years to treat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) using Mebendazole; a medication used to treat infections caused by worms.
“This round of treatment will focus on 10 endemic LGAs – Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo and Shomolu reaching approximately over 1.4 million at-risk children in public and private primary and junior secondary schools and the communities with safe and free medicines received from the Federal Ministry of Health through the World Health Organization drug donation program to be administered at no cost to eligible children.”
Abayomi said school-based deworming is an important evidence-based strategy to treat children at risk of parasitic worm infections adding that teachers and community health workers have been trained to safely and effectively administer the medicines to the children.
The Senior Program Manager, Maryann Edeh, on behalf of the Country Director of Evidence Action, Pharm Tope Ogunbi, stated that the deworming program implemented in schools is a practical and economical way to guarantee that the illnesses impeding children's academic development are addressed.
She pointed out that the widespread deworming effort is a reflection of the Lagos state government's commitment to achieving the first and third Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the government's top health priorities of reducing poverty, through the ministries of health, basic education, the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), and Evidence Action.
The Country Director stated that Evidence Action is pleased to continue assisting governments in Nigeria and throughout the world, having provided over 1.8 billion deworming treatments so far.
“Public school teachers and community health workers have been trained to safely and effectively administer this medicine to children, during the school days, and in communities with supervision and support of frontline health workers in the state”, She said.
She encouraged parents residing in the affected LGAs where the exercise is held to ensure that their children and wards within the target age bracket receive deworming treatment, noting that the treatment is free and effective.
