Program aims to deworm 19M schoolkids, 23M out-of-school youths

The government on Tuesday launched Oplan Goodbye Bulate as part of the Department of Health's (DOH) efforts to deworm 19 million public school students and 23 million preschool and out-of-school youths during the National Deworming Month.

DOH to continue 2015's deworming program. Nationwide simultaneous effort aims to deworm 19M 5-18 yo's in public schools, 23M not enrolled pic.twitter.com/cvCOXdCbW8

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) January 10, 2017

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said this was initiated to drive down the rates of infection nationwide, which could reach "66 percent among one to five years old."

"It is (the) baseline and it's nationwide, but in some areas, it goes as high as 90 percent. Napakalala, I should say, ng situation natin and for the 16- to 14-years-old... the prevalence are still the same, 65 percent," she said.

Children in public schools aged five to 18 will be given chewable deworming tablets for free after their parents sign a consent form. The tablets will also be made available at public health centers.

Students in private schools and those whose parents choose to deworm them at a later date may buy the tablets from drug stores.

Ubial: Deworming tablets are P15 in drugstores, but bulk buying allowed P2 per tablet. They are available at public health centers + schools

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) January 10, 2017

"It's actually available over the counter. Pero hindi P2, P10 or P15," Ubial said. "Available siya sa health centers at sa schools."

The DOH will also use this program to dissuade open defecation as this practice allows intestinal worms to multiply.

"There's no seasonal infestation," Ubial explained. "You cannot transmit it from person to person... The worm has to be in the ovum, o 'yung itlog, has to be passed out in the stool, has to mature in the soil. And then, by some method, be ingested by the child again to become an adult worm."

"'Yung sinasabi nating heavy infestation, that's because the child ingests the ovum repeatedly, ulit ng ulit. Hindi ho dumadami 'yung bulate sa loob ng tiyan," she continued.

Public defecation allows ovum to spread in more areas and increases the chance of infection in said areas.

"Whether it's urban or rural, it's high. The average is 66 percent. But there are areas, particularly sa rural, it can go as high as 90 percent," Ubial said. "The reason for that is 'yun nga, the burden or the amount of ovum or the eggs in the environment is much higher in some areas, particularly those practicing open defecation."

Measures to reduce infection rate

Mass deworming programs and public hygiene education are two of three measures which World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative Dr. Gundo Weiler cited as effective steps to reducing rates of infection.

Increasing access to good sanitation is the third measure pointed out by Weiler, who said, "These three measures combined can make a good impact."

The WHO estimates that one in four people in the world's population of two billion are infected by intestinal worms.

WHO rep Dr. Weiler says they estimate that 1 in 4 people are infected by intestinal worms for 2B world pop.; effect on kids is staggering

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) January 10, 2017

Should the DOH hit its deworming target of 85 percent, 10 percent higher than the recommended target of 75 percent by the WHO, Weiler believes it will make a significant change in the problems caused by intestinal worms.

"Within a decade, we'll probably be able to eliminate or end some of the negative effects of these infections," Weiler said.

Effects of intestinal worms

Ubial enumerated the negative effects of having intestinal worms, such as sleepiness and poor school performance.

"We know that children who have an infestation of worms, intestinal parasites, perform poorly in school and they are also lethargic o mahinang gumalaw and antukin, always sleepy," Ubial said.

If they go unchecked, worms can also burrow into different parts of the body and cause severe health conditions such as heart attacks.

Ubial: Worms CAN go to other parts of the body; deworming tablet best administered on full stomachs so worms are not agitated.

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) January 10, 2017

"Pwedeng pumunta sa ibang parts ng katawan 'yung bulate, and that can cause major complications. That's why we're really advocating for deworming," Ubial explained. "Usually kung busog na 'yung bata, there is less tendency for the worms to be hyperactive, that is why... you administer the drug when the child has a full stomach, hindi agitated 'yung bulate."

Ubial said deworming "is actually one of the most cost effective public health programs in the world today."

"For P2... you can actually affect the health and well-being of that child for the rest of his life, in terms of the mental capacity and in terms of the nutrition and the child's ability to resist infections," she said.

Funds for the program were derived from donations and a 47 percent increase for the DOH's 2017 deworming program. P106.3 million was allotted to training and other logistical concerns while P83 million was given to procure the drugs at a discount.

Donations (monetary,drugs) adds to 47% budget increase in deworming; 2017 budget for deworming is P106.3M for training, etc & P83M for drugs

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) January 10, 2017

Globally, the WHO reached a coverage rate of 60 percent or six out of 10 children in 2015. In 2016, the DOH dewormed 15,853,687 out of 19,250,273 or 82 percent of enrolled students and 7,875,599 out of 10,599,699 preschool aged children.

Ubial noted that infection rates went down 28.4 percent in the 13 regions that were sampled from government efforts to deworm pockets of communities from 2013 to 2015. —KG, GMA News