Ministry embarks on MDA campaign against Schistosomiasis

The ten-day campaign, targets pre-school children (2 – 4 years and 11 months); school-aged children 5-14 years) and At-risk adults. Schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic disease in many developing countries which affects the health and productivity of people, particularly children and those involved in occupations with high exposure to infested water, remains a serious health problem.

As the campaign rolls out in targeted communities, it is observed that the number of tablets being administered is determined by one’s height. However, the vaccines, according to officials, is safe and effective in the containment of schistosomiasis, which is prevalent especially during the raining season mainly due to exposure to contaminated water bodies.

On a recent visit to Kassa Kunda and Kembujeh, both in the West Coast Region, public Health officials were seen busy administering the drugs to students, who were at hand to take those drugs.

Speaking to journalists at the Western Two Health Region in Brikama, Yahya Camara, a public health official at Epidemiology Unit supporting the Non-Communicable Disease Programme at the Ministry, acknowledged that schistosomiasis is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases in the country.

He revealed that having conducted a survey, an assessment in which they tested 10,334 school-aged children randomly selected from different schools in each district across the country; the national prevalence overall was 4%, but once they got to the district level, they realised varying prevalence at the district level with some as high as 35%, 40% and 10%.

Camara further informed that Western Two Health region happens to be one of the districts with at least three endemic districts namely; Kombo Central, Kombo East and Foni Jarrol.

This, he said, is one of the reasons they embarked on the Mass Drug Administration campaign in these districts.

He also disclosed that during the assessment they tested some school-aged children. As part of the campaign, they will go back to those schools and provide treatment to those students.

Camara, however, expressed concern that from the look of things, it appears some schools have not been sensitised well ahead about the campaign, saying this is not the first MDA in the country as a similar campaign was conducted in 2018 and this comes as a follow up assessment done previously.

Abdou Karim Darboe, Principal Public Health Officer in Western Two Health Region, underscored the importance of the MDA campaign, describing the drugs being administered as safe and effective.

He spoke about their aggressive campaign to ensure that more communities are covered during the ten-day campaign. He described schistosomiasis as a health burden which still seriously threatens the health and wellbeing of individuals especially exposed to water bodies.

Bintou Suso and Karamba Fatajo, both public health officials administering drugs in these two communities, both expressed delight with the turn out during the start of the campaign.

Both, however, explained that some of the constraints they received is that some of the school heads are requesting formal letters from the Ministry to enable or allow them conduct the campaign. This, Suso explained is one of the challenges encountered, further assuring that these drugs are effective and safe.