Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Ghana Education Service (GES) are set to launch the 2024 National School and Community Deworming Exercise from October 28 to November 3, aiming to treat over two million school-age children aged five to 14. With a target reach of up to 2.6 million children in schools across 100 districts in 15 regions and 1.6 million more in communities across 57 districts, the initiative seeks to improve health and immunity in young populations.
Children will receive 600 mg of praziquantel and 400 mg of albendazole, medicines donated by the World Health Organization (WHO), administered under trained supervision. GHS Director-General Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye emphasized the importance of eating prior to taking the medication, advising parents and guardians to ensure children have meals before school to aid in absorption.
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease commonly affecting children in low-sanitation areas, presents risks of liver damage, anemia, and developmental impairments. Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, which affect regions with poor hygiene, also contribute to malnutrition, diarrhea, and impaired physical and cognitive growth.
The GES has partnered with the Ghana School Feeding Programme to provide adequate meals, supporting the deworming process. USAID and the Programme Director of Act to End NTDs, Irene Dzathor, expressed full support, reiterating their commitment to schistosomiasis and STH elimination in Ghana.
SOURCE: https://dew360.net
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