National School-Based Deworming Programme Targets 6 Million Children In 27 Counties.
The National School-Based Deworming Programme (NSBDP), jointly run by the Ministries of Health and Education with technical assistance from the international non-profit Evidence Action, celebrated its tenth anniversary at At Mundika Boys Primary in Busia County, under the direction of the Ministry of Health’s Chief Administrative Secretary, Dr. Rashid Aman.
Over 6 million children across all 27 counties are targeted nationwide. The program will benefit over 297,000 children in Busia who are under the age of 14.
Dr. Aman mentioned during the NSBDP that teachers at schools offer free deworming treatments to children aged 2 to 14 years old, regardless of their enrollment status.
For two neglected tropical diseases that obstruct children’s health and access to education, soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis, treatment is provided in at-risk areas.
The NSBDP has so far administered 9 rounds of school-based deworming treatment, reaching up to 6 million children annually across 27 counties, and 2022 will mark the tenth year of deworming.
Busia was the site of groundbreaking studies that provided information for national and international initiatives on the advantages of deworming school-aged children.
In Kenya, intestinal worms are a significant public health issue. A minimum of 6 million kids face an infection risk each year.
Despite receiving the right diet, malnutrition caused by worm infestation in children is still present, according to CAS Aman.’
The Secretary Admiration for Early Learning & Basic Education at the Ministry of Education, Andrew Lukalia, echoed his sentiments when he said that school-based treatment gives millions of Kenyan children a worm-free childhood, with long-term benefits for their health and livelihoods.
According to Lukalia, healthy childhood nutrition paves the way for kids to learn, thrive, and develop into healthy adults.
Yet nearly 900 million kids are at risk of contracting soil-transmitted helminths (STH), many of whom are also at risk for schistosomiasis.
As stated by Lukalia, if deworming is not done, there is up to 25% absenteeism by learners, something that greatly affects their overall performance.
Over 53 million school-aged children have received dewormings through the National School-Based Deworming Programme, a centerpiece of Kenya Vision 2030, since 2012.
6.4 million people received treatment through the program in just 2021 across 21 counties.
“The government remains committed as it creates in building sustainable strategy to support technical and expertise.
“In addition to us allocating funds for deworming, we are also going further to ensure that all the resources of the government that are directed towards procuring dewormers, go to local manufacturers,” said Dr. Aman.
The NSBDP, which is targeting 5.7 million kids, wants to deworm everyone in 27 counties and 112 sub-counties this year. 5.9 million Albendazole tablets, a record number, are being purchased by the Ministry of Health for the treatment.
Over 6 million kids in the targeted age range have consistently received treatment through the program since 2009, in both public and private primary schools as well as in Early Childhood Development.
No matter how enrolled they are, all children in the targeted areas are eligible for free treatment.
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The World Health Organization recommends the medications because they are reliable, efficient, and safe.
For students attending treatment schools in Kenya, mass deworming at schools has resulted in a 25% drop in absences.
Deworming also affects preschoolers and children of school age who are not being treated.
Children in Kenya who live close to treatment centers but are too young to receive deworming exhibit improvements in cognitive development that are equivalent to one-half of a school year when assessed ten years later.
National School-Based Deworming Programme Targets 6 Million Children In 27 Counties