The campaign targets a total of 600,000 people mainly pre-school children (2 – 4 years and 11 months); school-aged children 5-14 years) and At-risk adults. The campaign also targets 27 districts from West Coast, Lower River, North Bank, Central and the Upper River Regions.
Out and about, some of the communities visited by the media covering Western Health region two, the turn-out in some communities is relatively low, as anticipated.
This is due to various reasons including vaccine hesitancy and late information regarding the arrival of the team. With mass campaigns and greater community mobilisation, hopes are high that more people will respond before the end of exercise.
Schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic disease, is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases and remains a health burden to many developing countries.
Over the years, the disease has and continues to pose a severe threat to the health and productivity of people, particularly children and those involved in occupations with high exposure to infested water.
Targeting these vulnerable groups with preventive treatment is the only mechanism and solution to get rid of these diseases. To this end, we implore on communities especially those identified for the campaign to ensure easy access to the visiting teams to be able to administer the vaccine. Remember taking the vaccine is the only solution to curb the growing threat of this disease.
Suffice it to state here that The Gambia has made considerable gains in the reduction of NTDs and other socially transmitted diseases in the country, thanks to the mass drug administration. Therefore, as a country we cannot be complacent. These diseases are preventable even though at times they are neglected.
Certainly, addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by NTDs requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach from all fields of science, and is embedded in the One health concept. And taking the required prescribed drugs is one step to reducing the burden of the disease in the country.