Pupils Hospitalised After Deworming Exercise In School

THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND W.H.O LAUNCHED A MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION CAMPAIGN TARGETING CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 16 IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN IBBA COUNTY IN WESTERN EQUITORIAL STATE, SOUTH-WEST, SOUTH SUDAN.

ABOUT 120 SCHOOL PUPILS HAVE BEEN HOSPITALISED  AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE DEWORMING EXERCISE CARRIED OUT BY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.

THE CHILDREN WERE ALLEGEDLY GIVEN EXPIRED TABLETS OR AN OVERDOSE, BUT THE HEALTH MINISTRY HAS DENIED THIS.

HEALTH MINISTRY OFFICIAL, DR VICTORIA ANIB MAJUR SAID PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SHOWED THAT THE DRUG MIGHT HAVE BEEN GIVEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH TO SOME OF THE CHILDREN, WHO DEVELOPED SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS ABDOMINAL PAIN, DIZZINESS AND HEADACHES.

MOST OF THOSE AFFECTED WERE FROM IBBA GIRLS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND IT IS UNCLEAR WHY IT WAS MOST AFFECTED.

THE FOUNDER OF IBBA GIRLS BOARDING SCHOOL, NAGOMORO BRIDGET HAS THREATENED TO SUE THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION FOR MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION THAT LEFT NEARLY EVERY PUPIL HOSPITALIZED, BUT THE U.N HEALTH AGENCY SAID THE CHILDREN’S BODIES REACTED ACCORDINGLY.

ACCORDING TO THE PARENTS, THE ORAL TABLETS WERE ADMINISTERED BY SELECTED TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY DRUG DISTRIBUTORS BASED ON THE HEIGHT AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF EACH CHILD.

HOWEVER, THE NATIONAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAD SAID SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED IN 80 COUNTIES WHERE 51 TURNED TO BE ENDEMIC AND WERE MARKED FOR MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION.

IT ADDED THAT ABOUT 1.5 MILLION CHILDREN IN 51 COUNTIES WERE TARGETED IN DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE DEWORMING DRUG ADMINISTRATION CAMPAIGN ACROSS SOUTH SUDAN.

NAGOMORO BRIDGET, CONDEMNED WHAT SHE CALLS “UNPROFESSIONAL” MASS DRUG ADMINISTRATION IN IBBA AND THREATENS TO TAKE A LEGAL PROCEDURES AGAINST THE ORGANIZATION BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN.

HOURS AFTER TAKING THE TABLET, THE PUPILS DEVELOPED ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS VOMITING, ABDOMINAL PAIN, HEADACHE AND EPIGASTRIC PAIN AMONG OTHERS.

STUDIES HAS SHOWN THAT PRAZIQUANTEL IS USED TO TREAT INFECTIONS CAUSED BY SCHISTOSOMA – A PARASITIC FLATWORMS THAT CAUSES A HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT GROUP OF INFECTIONS IN HUMANS.

IN ITS 21ST LIST PUBLISHED IN 2019, PRAZIQUANTEL TABLET WAS AMONG THE OVER 460 MEDICATIONS THE WHO MODEL LIST OF ESSENTIAL MEDICINES CONSIDERED TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE AND SAFE TO MEET THE MOST IMPORTANT NEEDS IN A HEALTH SYSTEM.

IN RESPONSE, THE WHO TECHNICAL OFFICER FOR NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES, DR. MUTALE NSAKASHALA SEIKWE –-SAYS THE SIDE EFFECTS PRESENTED IN IBBA WERE AN INDICATION OF THE MEDICINE KILLING THE PARASITES.