Mass Deworming Programme To Reach 400,000 Pupils In Cross River
State Launches Campaign Against Neglected Tropical Diseases
THE Cross River State Government has launched a mass treatment campaign targeting about 400,000 school-aged children as part of efforts to combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
The initiative, which focuses on children aged between five and 14 years, is part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to eliminate NTDs by 2030.
Speaking in Calabar, the Senior Manager at Evidence Action, Tochi Ohaji, said the organisation is partnering with the state government to implement the programme.
According to him, the campaign targets diseases such as Soil‑Transmitted Helminthiasis and Schistosomiasis, which commonly affect school-aged children in endemic communities.
Progress Recorded in Disease Control
Ohaji noted that recent assessments conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health showed significant improvements in controlling the diseases in the state.
He said that after more than seven years of sustained interventions, the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiasis had declined by 48.5 percent, while schistosomiasis infections had dropped by 76 percent.
“These results show that sustained treatment programmes can significantly reduce the burden of these diseases among children,” he said.
The official also commended the state government for approving ₦64 million to support ongoing deworming and disease elimination programmes.
School-Based Treatment Exercise
The treatment exercise is scheduled to run for five days, with trained health workers visiting schools and communities across participating local government areas.
During the campaign, eligible children will receive deworming medicines administered by trained personnel.
Ohaji called on parents, teachers and community leaders to support the exercise by ensuring that children participate in the programme.
“The programme targets 14 of the state’s 18 local government areas where the prevalence of these diseases qualifies communities for mass drug administration,” he explained.
Seven Local Governments in First Phase
According to the Cross River State Coordinator for NTDs, Veronica Mark, the first phase of the campaign will cover seven council areas.
The benefiting local governments include Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani, Biase, Akamkpa, Yakurr and Etung.
Mark said the state government had made arrangements to reach children even in remote communities to ensure they are not excluded from the exercise.
Call for Increased Domestic Funding
Meanwhile, Programme Officer for Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis Elimination at the Federal Ministry of Health, Jacob Solomon, raised concerns about declining donor funding for NTD programmes.
Solomon explained that many international partners were beginning to experience donor fatigue, which could affect future interventions.
He therefore urged state governments to establish dedicated budget lines for NTD elimination programmes and ensure that allocated funds are released promptly.
According to him, stronger domestic funding would help sustain progress already achieved in controlling these diseases across endemic states.
“While states own the programmes, the federal government provides oversight to ensure effective implementation and progress toward disease elimination,” he said.
