Schools in the Amuwo-Odofin community have been privileged to be beneficiaries of the free deworming exercises for schools by the Lagos State government.
This exercise commenced with free deworming exercises for schools around the state to treat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH).
The exercise is said to target 1.3 million school children between the ages of five and 14 years who are at risk of parasitic worm infections in the state.
The exercise is being implemented in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and Evidence Action, a non-governmental organization.
Holding in 10 soil-transmitted helminthiasis endemic local government areas including Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Amuwo Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, and Ojo.
The commissioner for health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed that more than 1.5 billion people, representing 24 percent of the world’s population, are infected with soil-transmitted helminth infections and over 875 million of this population are children.
Nigeria has the second-largest population of infected children worldwide with a prevalence of about 29 million cases, bringing about the need to put in place strategies to treat and eliminate soil-transmitted infections.
“According to various surveys that have been conducted by the FMOH, soil-transmitted infections have been detected in several LGAs at a level that requires mass treatment of all school-age children. Soil-transmitted helminths are significant public health burdens in Nigeria. Evidence has shown that worm infections interfere with nutrient uptake causing anemia, malnourishment, and impaired mental and physical development”, Abayomi stated.
The commissioner disclosed that the deworming exercise scheduled from Tuesday 22nd to Saturday 26th November 2022, targets children, aged five and 14 years, in schools and communities in the 10 LGAs, who are vulnerable and most at risk, while urging residents in the affected LGAs to take advantage of the exercise.