Monday, January 22, 2007 Oledan: Contagion By Radzini Oledan Slice of life
AS MANY as nine out of every 10 children in the country are prone to poor physical and mental development because of intestinal worms. The problem has largely gone unchecked, according to the Department of Health.
A nationwide study performed over 10 years by the Department of Education found a worms prevalence rate of 50-90 percent in children aged 2-14 years, which shows up to 30 percent of the population of 22 million children may have one or more of the three most common types of soil transmitted helminths: roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm.
The health department said children 2-14 years old are the most vulnerable segment of the population to the disease and death rate is highest among children 1 to 5 years old.
The common intestinal helminths are becoming a major health problem particularly among children. Yet, not enough is being done to arrest the problem as indicated by the absence of a synchronized national program to address it.
In many cities, provinces and municipalities, there is lack of recognition that worm infection is a problem that should be discussed and responded to by proper health and education planning, including policies, if children are to survive and participate actively in school.
Silently, children from urban poor areas and hinterlands suffer from pain and enlargement of the abdomen, anemia, loss of appetite and weight, vomiting, malnutrition, insomnia and irregular respiration resulting to stunted growth, decreased physical activity, poor physical and mental development.
The importance of schooling cannot be underestimated: if a child is infected with worms, their ability to learn is jeopardized through simple absenteeism and in some cases, morbidity.
Logically, there is a need to implement a deworming program to reduce the prevalence of infection among school children.
But considering that the infection thrives in areas where there is poverty, ignorance and lack of sanitation, awareness raising along with an adequate feeding program for children should be part of the response.
There is also a need to increase health and nutrition services in school, which remain to be an ideal place to screen children for health problems. Access to safe water and sanitation should also be a paramount concern as the spread of infection could be due to lack of clean water and latrines.
Using special programs and learning tools, children can be taught to adopt healthy behaviors such as washing food before eating it and avoid risky behaviors like urinating and defecating in a nearby water source.
The best way to act against intestinal parasitic infection among children is to involve the community. By tapping the strength of local partners and focusing resources around a central issue, the infection could be reduced.
