The Partnership for Child Development (PCD), in collaboration with the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Programme of the Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders have undertaken a national school based ‘deworming’ exercise.

The exercise, which was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the End Neglected Tropical Disease in Africa Project, was carried out in collaboration with the School Health and Education Programme (SHEP).

About 19,018 teachers, 274 health workers and 761 supervisors were trained on how to administer the pills (Albendazole and Praziquantel tablets) and an estimated 3,098,000 school children in 107 districts across the country were treated as part of the exercise.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mrs Getrude Oboshie Ananse-Baiden, Country Programmes Manager for PCD, said ‘deworming’ of school children is a key component of PCD’s nutrition project, being funded by Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organization working to improve children's access to quality primary education in developing countries.

She said “if you give children all the nutritious food and you don’t get rid of the worms in them, then you would be feeding the worms and not the kids. It is important to complement nutritious feeding with deworming.”

Mrs Ananse-Baiden said worms have very negative impact on children’s health, and apart from causing anemia and even death, it can affect the total growth and development of children.

She said worms in children could also affect their cognition expectations resulting in poor academic outcomes, hence deworming is important.

The PCD Programme Manager called on other development partners to support the NTD Programme in carrying out this very important exercise of our children.

The Partnership for Child Development with funding from Dubai Cares is implementing a Comprehensive School Health and Nutrition Project that seeks to enhance the nutritional value of the meals provided by the Ghana School Feeding Programme.