Malawi rolls out K34m Bilhazia control campaign
Ministry of Health has embarked on a K34Million countrywide Bilhazia control campaign.
Spokesperson for the Ministry, Henry Chimbali, said Bilhazia is a public health problem in the country mostly affecting 19 to 24 percent of school going children.
“Recent mapping of the disease in some districts confirms that all our districts in Malawi are affected.
“For example, Blantyre City had recorded an overall 11.7 percent prevalence in the 20 randomly selected primary schools. Blantyre Rural and Chiradzulu districts were found with the highest prevalence ranging from 30.2 to 34.5 percent respectively,” he said.
This year’s campaign, which includes mass treatment, targets children from six to eighteen years. Prazquentel drug will be administered in primary and secondary schools (both public and private).
According to Chimbali 4.6 Million children are expected to receive this treatment.
District Health Education Officer for Blantyre District Health Officer, Chrissy Banda told Mana on Monday that training for Health Surveillance Assistants and teachers is underway.
“They have been given medicine to be distributing to the targeted children after the trainings,” she said.
Last year, 2.1 Million of the targeted 2.8 Million school children were given bilhazia deworming medicine in 18 districts.