The Federal government in partnership Oyo State government and Evidence Action, a non – governmental organisation is set to deworm over 2 million pupils in public schools across the state.
The event which was which flagged off at St. Michael Primary School, Iyemetu, Ibadan school children aged between 5 – 14 years are to benefit from the deworming.
Muideen Olatunji, a medical doctor and executive secretary, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board in his welcome address, applauded the collaborative effort of the federal government, Oyo state government, and the sponsoring NGO, Evidence Action for their investment in the program.
“It is the duty of the government to educate teachers and parents on child malnutrition which is a key tool in a child’s immune productivity,” he noted.
Also speaking Femi Adepoju, zonal coordinator of ‘Evidence Action’, expressed his profound gratitude to all stakeholders engaged in the implementation of the deworming exercise.
Adepoju recalled that the last exercise organised by the organization benefited over 700,000 school children in 13 local government areas in Oyo state.
While leading the flag-off exercise, Bashiru Bello, commissioner for Health in Oyo State urged 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 cardinals points of the current government of Oyo state under the leadership of Gov. Seyi Makinde.
Program officer, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Health Department at the Federal Ministry of Health, Rita Rude explained that this particular round of treatment has been targeted for over 2 million school-based students in 21 local government areas in Oyo state.
She added that the federal ministry of health has decided to treat Schistosomiasis and Helmiathiasis with the donation of 3 million tablets of praziquantel and 600,000 tablets of mebendazole for the treatment of the two diseases respectively.
She however added that the treatment will leverage on the school – feeding programme, adding that the drugs should not be used in an empty stomach.
She also noted that the exercise is set for children between the ages of 5 – 14 years because they are highly vulnerable to these diseases.
Nureni Adeniran, chairman of the Oyo state universal basic education board ably represented by a board member, Akeem Oladeji appeal to parents and guardians to endeavour in periodic deworming of their children.
Children were urged to always wash their hands after touching the soil or other dirty materials.
REMI FEYISIPO, Ibadan.
