Ministry targets six million in deworming programme

School children wash their hands with clean water as part of the activities during this year's National Deworming Day at Mwanyambo Primary School in Voi Sub-County, Taita Taveta County on May 24, 2017. The County is targeting to deworm over 90,000 children. PHOTO | COURTESY

Over five million school children are at a great risk of contracting intestinal parasitic worms, government records show.

According to information provided by the ministries of Health and Education, soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomes are the most common.

Aware of the negative effects the worms have on children, the government, through the national school-based deworming programme, which is implemented by the Ministry of Health, has launched a nationwide drive to deworm school children.

The official launch of this year’s Deworming Day was held in Taita Taveta County on Wednesday with Dr Stewart Kabaka, head of the school health programme and Paul Mwongera, the head of school health, nutrition and meals unit at the Health ministry, presiding over.

FOUR YEARS

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, in a statement read on his behalf by Mr Mwongera, said: “The National School Based Deworming Programme is part of the performance contract of the Principal Secretary, State Department of Basic Education and hence embedded in the work plans of the concerned Unit the Ministry is committed to breaking transmission of STH and schistosomiasis in Kenya”

On his part, Dr Kabaka said: “Deworming children periodically and maintaining high standards of hygiene can eliminate worms amongst our children, promote their health and improved academic performance at school.”

The programme has been running for the past four years.

The Ministry of Health says the programme reaches about 6 million children every year in over 16,000 primary schools in 28 counties.

Phase two of this year’s school deworming programme will be conducted in Lamu, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, Busia, Siaya and Taita Taveta counties.

All children aged 2-14 years are being targeted for treatment in primary schools, the ministry says.

HEALTH SERVICES

The deworming programme has run successfully since 2009, with 3.6 million children being dewormed.

“The national school-based deworming programme plays a major role in ensuring the health of children as an important contribution to their educational outcomes.

“Evidence shows that deworming improves children’s educational outcomes by reducing absenteeism where healthier children concentrate better in class,” says Leah Rotich, the director-general of education in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology.

On his part, the Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko says: “The Ministry of Health seeks to ensure that all Kenyan children receive health services that improve their physical and cognitive growth in order to secure the future of our country.”

Children who get dewormed grow healthy and have a better chance of getting good education as they stay in class.