The Kwara State government, North Central Nigeria, on Tuesday, said it plans to deworm 776,896 children, aged five to 14 years across 15 local government areas of the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, disclosed this at the flag-off of the deworming exercise at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin.
El-Imam, in a statement by the Assistant Press Secretary, Ministry of Health, Funke Olutimilehin, said the exercise reflected the government’s commitment to protecting children from preventable diseases.
“This year’s mass administration of medicines is targeted at 776,896 school-aged children with deworming tablets in the state, except Oke-Ero Local Government Area.
“Our mission does not stop at treatment alone, we are equally committed to prevention.
“This includes promoting clean water, improving sanitation, and raising awareness about the importance of good hygiene practices,” El-Imam added.
She appreciated Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for prioritising the health of the people through the support of several health interventions going on in the state.
The Chairman of the state House of Assembly Committee on Health and Environment, Rasak Owolabi, urged parents, guardians and students to take advantage of the health initiative.
He lauded the ministry for being proactive in the deworming exercise, to avoid outbreaks of epidemics.
The Manager of the Kwara State Sight Savers Programme, Mr Lekan Ajayi, expressed gratitude to the government for the enabling environment for all development partners, especially Sight Savers in the last 30 years of operation in the state.
The deworming exercise is expected to take place in all schools across the state, except Oke-Ero Local Government which is non-endemic for Schistosomiasis.
SOURCE PUNCH NEWS
