Abia State begins deworming for 60,000 school children

The Wife of Abia Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, on Tuesday launched an In-School Deworming Programme targeted at 60,000 school children between the ages of 6 an 14.

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The governor in his opening speech described the programme as a testament of the government’s unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of Abia children.

“It is alarming to note that approximately 35 million children aged 5 to 14 are affected by various soil transmitted helminths, with an estimated 2.9 million of them suffering from moderate to heavy intensity infections, primarily in Southern Nigeria. Sadly, worm and parasitic infections can severely impact a child’s health, growth and cognitive development. It is our responsibility to eliminate this silent threat and ensure our children are free from these preventable diseases,” she said.

Otti said that the programme had been designed to be a proactive approach toward safeguarding the health and future of every Abia child through regular deworming in schools.

She added that steps had been taken to ensure that the programme would be a success, adding that adequate plans had been put in place to train volunteers that would carry out the deworming activities.

Otti said that the pilot phase of  the  exercise would be carried out in Ohafia, Bende, Ikwuano, Isiala Ngwa South, Obingwa and Osisioma Local Government Areas.

She called on parents, teachers and the public to support the initiative, adding that their collective efforts and active participation were required for the success of the programme.

Also, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo, said that the Ministry of Health would deploy all the necessary resources to support the deworming campaign. Okoronkwo, who was represented by Dr Ugonma Agomuo, said that the benefits of deworming treatments on children were enormous and should not be taken lightly.

She further reaffirmed the commitment of the government to transforming the health sector and improving the welfare of the people of Abia.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Ifeoma Thomas, described the programme as a significant event and ”first of its kind”.

“We recognise that helminthic infection is a worm infestation that interferes with nutrient uptake, can lead to anaemia, malnourishment, impaired mental, physical and cognitive development. Consequently, this infection poses a serious threat to children’s health, growth, education and productivity,” she said.

Thomas said that the campaign would be focused on ensuring that children in Abia grew up hale and hearty and free from the sicknesses that worm infestations could cause to any growing child.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eme, said a lot of children were malnourished due to worm infestation and urged parents to always endeavour to deworm their children.

Eme said: “Our schools would be open and we would create the type of awareness that would ensure that our children benefit from this initiative.”

The representative of Non-State Actors (NSAs) Partners, Mrs Carolyn Charles, described the programme as a preventive measure meant to protect Abia children’s health and future.

Charles said that the NSAs through the Accelerated Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project had delivered  over 1,040,000 units of albendazole to Abia children and was desirous to do more.

“It is our duty to eradicate this sneaky danger and guarantee that our kids don’t contract these avoidable illnesses,” she added.

NAN/Wumi