LEGAZPI CITY -- The Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) regional office here has urged parents, particularly those with children aged one to 19 years old, to allow their children to undergo deworming.
Dr. Ernie Vera, DOH-Bicol regional director, on Monday said an intensified deworming program is part of the country's observation of National Deworming Month.
"The department, in partnership with schools and local government units (LGUs) are distributing anti-helminthic drugs during National Deworming Month (NDM), a twice-a-year campaign held during the months of January and July," Vera said.
The NDM is done by synchronizing the schedules of Mass Drug Administration for Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) in the schools and the community.
STH refers to the intestinal worms infecting humans that are transmitted through contaminated soil.
Vera said they regularly conduct deworming to protect children from STH, which has a detrimental impact on children’s growth and development.
"STH can cause anemia, malnutrition, weakness, impaired physical and cognitive development resulting to poor growth and school performance in children," he added.
The two components of NDM are National School-Deworming Month (NSDM) and Community Based Deworming Month (CBDM).
As of July 2019, 75 percent or a total of 2,041,228 children aged 1-19 years old were given the anti-parasitic medicine Albendazole in the whole Bicol Region; with a total of 716,846 dewormed under the community-based deworming, and 1,324,382 for the school-based deworming.
Sorsogon and Camarines Norte have the highest percentage of accomplishment in Community and School-Based Deworming Coverage with 93 percent; followed by Masbate, 79 percent; Catanduanes and Albay; 71 percent; and Camarines Sur with 62 percent.
For this year's campaign, DOH-CHD Bicol expects to deworm at least 85 percent of the target.
"We ask for the support of the parents and guardians for the said endeavor. The success of the DOH campaign in deworming relies profoundly on the support and actions of the attached government agencies, non-government organizations, developmental partners and the local government units. With this unified effort, CHD-Bicol believes that health for all will be achieved," Vera said. (PNA)
