‘22 Rivers LGAs, Endemic Of STHs’

The Country Representative, of Evidence Action, Dr Austin Walker, says 22, local government areas of Rivers State are endemic of the Soil Transmitted Helmiths (STHs), a type of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) which has more burden on children of school age bracket.
To this end, the training of state health officers on mass school deworming exercise in a bid to tackling the disease would soon commence.
The training would be headed by a health-based Non-Governmental Organization, Evidence Action in partnership with the state Ministries of Health, Education, Environment and the Primary Health Management Board (PHCMB).
The Country Representative, Evidence Action, Dr Austin Walker disclosed that the organisation became interested in Rivers State following the result of a recent survey which showed that 22 out of the 23 LGAs of the state were endemic of the disease, adding that children of school age were also considered based on evidence that the highest burden is on the age bracket of 5-14years old.
Walker said they are on the implementation stage of  the deworming exercise in that after series of micro strategic stakeholders meeting in the state, it is hoped expressing that the disease would be tackled with the much enthusiasm on ground by the stakeholders.
The Coordinator, National Deworming Progr-amme, Dr Obiageli Webe said that the drugs for the deworming exercise would be free and stressed the need for every child of school age across the 23 LGAs of the state both in public and private schools to be reached.
Also speaking, the Director, Public Health in the state, Ministry of Health Dr Nnnana Onyekwere noted that the Evidence Action Programme was a comprehensive  one that would help the state government ensure  healthy lives for its children as well as promote  the  well-being for all.
“This exercise is of immense importance to the state because there cannot be healthy lives for all without tackling Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

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