All is now set by the Cross River State government to deworm about 800,000 children in the school-based deworming exercise.
The exercise will be carried out in collaboration with Evidence Action and Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and would help to keep children particularly of school age in good health.
At the flag-off of the exercise which targets 800,000 children who are between five and 14 years of age, director- general Cross River State Primary Health Care Delivery Agency (PHCDA), Dr Janet Ekpeyong, who flagged off the campaign stated that attaining zero neglected tropical disease is a work in progress stressing that Cross River State government is getting all the eligible children dewormed during the time frame.
He maintained that the deworming exercise is a top notch strategic approach towards improving the health of children across the state , which will help advance chances of reducing malnutrition and promote total immunisation and prevent stunting.
Ekpeyong said, “To prevent worm infestation affecting our children, we must deworm them at least once in every six months bearing in mind the quality of food they eat and where they eat these foods.”