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As a way of preventing Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), the Cross River State Government has launched a statewide deworming exercise.
The exercise is to prevent soil-transmitted helminthic, a disease that affects minors between the ages of 5 to 14 years.
The preventive measure, according to the government is the administration of mebendazole.
Giving insight into the soil-transmitted helminthic disease in Cross River, the Director-General, Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, explained that the disease is endemic in about nine local government areas of the state.
“Today we are here for deworming and that is because it is an issue of concern to us, despite what a child eats once there is a worm, they will begin to manifest, and the child will start looking malnourished.
“Globally, about 1.4 billion are affected by the soil-transmitted helminthic and about 9 local government areas are endemic with the disease. That’s why we introduce the deworming exercise. We are hoping that we can reach 8,000 children. With mebendazole, we are reaching those between 5 and 14 years of age across the entire state.
“I encourage caregivers and parents to take advantage of this exercise, and take them to the health facilities for deworming. We no longer want to see our children suffer from these diseases.” She said as a government, Cross River state is committed to ensuring the healthiness of children in the state.
The Calabar South local government focal person for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Nkanu Nkanu said “We will ensure that every eligible child from Calabar south is dewormed with albendazole.”
A mother, Mrs Rosslyn Bassey Inyang, said mothers should allow their children to be dewormed.
“I’m happy that the children here are taking proper treatment, let mothers be taking good care, of what children eat, avoid rotten fruits and food. Some mothers, due to religious beliefs say children should not be dewormed, but let them allow their children to be dewormed,” she said.
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