CALABAR–In a renewed commitment to child health and development, international health organization Evidence Action and government partners have recommitted to expanding deworming coverage in Cross River and four other states under the School-Based Deworming (SBD) program NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
Speaking during a media parley in Calabar on Friday, Evidence Action officials revealed that the program now targets over six million children annually, and that its implementation is made possible through sustained collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, State Ministries of Health and Education, PHCDA, and SUBEB.
The meeting focused on building awareness among media professionals, many of whom have the power to shape public opinion and behavior regarding health interventions. According to Evidence Action, the SBD program in Nigeria is one of the largest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Our role is to support government systems in every aspect of planning and execution — from disease mapping to drug distribution, training, and impact evaluation,” said thatToochi Ohaji an Evidence Action senior manager.
The drugs administered—mebendazole (MEB) and praziquantel (PZQ)—are provided free through the World Health Organization’s donation program. Evidence Action also provides logistics support for distributing over nine million tablets each year.
“This is more than a health program. It is a model of low-cost, high-impact development, using schools and teachers as change agents within the community,” the representative added.
Participants at the event included state officials, health educators, and media executives. They discussed challenges such as parental consent, community myths, and the importance of including deworming in policy and budget planning at state level.
The organization called for stronger media collaboration to boost public understanding of the program and accelerate the campaign against worm infections, which disproportionately affect children in low-income communities.
