By Yetunde Fatungase
Abeokuta, – The Ogun Government is targeting one million school-age children in the second phase of its Bi-annual School-based fe-worming exercise for 2022.The Commissioner of Health, Dr Tomi Coker, made this known while launching the exercise on Wednesday in Abeokuta.The exercise, the commissioner said, is part of measures taken by the Gov. Dapo Abiodun -led administration to protect children in the state against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)She said the state targets one million school age between five and 14 years in both public and private schools across 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) for the programme which would hold for 10 days.Coker said the ministry, with the support of one of its development partners, “Evidence Action”, has continually implemented the school-based deworming exercise since the inception of the present administrationShe maintained that the bi-annual programme had contributed significantly to the control and elimination of the diseases in the endemic LGAs.“This exercise will take place in 13 LGAs including Abeokuta North, Ewekoro, Ijebu East, Ijebu North, Ijebu North East, Ikenne, Imeko-Afon, Odeda, Ogun Waterside, Remo North, Yewa North, Ipokia, and Ijebu-Ode.“We hope to carry out mass drug administration of Praziquantel and Mebendazole tablets to school age children in these parts of the state.“These medications will effectively prevent and treat Schistosomiasis and soil transmitted Helminthiasis, which are the common NTDs in many rural areas in the state.“I am sure that the drugs will prevent the consequences of these worms, including abdominal pain, enlarged liver, shortage of blood, liver fibrosis or bladder cancer, malnutrition, poor mental and cognitive capability among school age children,” she submitted.The commissioner said that no fewer than 2.500 teachers, 1.067 community distributors, and 400 health workers have been trained for the exercise.She called on the media, teachers, parents, community leaders, school proprietors, and other stakeholders to support the exercise, assuring that the deworming drugs are free and safe.In her goodwill message, the representative of Evidence Action, Mrs. Maryann Edeth commended the state government for priortising the health of children through deworming exercise and other programmes.She pledged the organisation’s continued support towards the exercise. (NAN)