Benguet: The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas is set to administer deworming pills to 4.1 million children in its ongoing campaign against soil-transmitted helminthiasis.
According to Philippines News Agency, Hygeia Grace Agosto, a senior health program officer of DOH Eastern Visayas, stated that the program targets children aged 1 to 19. The DOH uses Albendazole, an anti-parasitic medication, to treat intestinal worm infections. This deworming effort is conducted twice yearly, with the initial round in the first quarter and the second round in the third quarter.
For the year 2026, the DOH-Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development has secured approximately 2.8 million tablets. However, officials emphasize the need to optimize the supply to ensure coverage for both rounds. Despite the department's augmentation support, the responsibility for procuring deworming medicines has been devolved to local government units. Agosto advised local governments to allocate resources and procure necessary deworming drugs to extend the reach of the deworming activities.
Some localities faced delays due to overlapping activities and procurement challenges, but Agosto noted that local health offices have been conducting catch-up deworming efforts. Last year's deworming performance fell short of the regional target of 85-percent coverage, with only 35 percent of the target population reached in the first round and 20 percent in the second round of community-based deworming.
The reported data primarily stems from community-based deworming, while reports from school-based deworming for children aged 5 to 19 are still being collated alongside data from the Department of Education. Efforts are underway to enhance the reporting system among the Department of Education, school nurses, and rural health units to boost school-based deworming coverage.
Agosto highlighted the increased risk of soil-transmitted helminthiasis and other parasitic infections in children who miss deworming, as these infections can result from repeated exposure to contaminated soil and unhygienic conditions. She pointed out that these parasites are often transmitted through soil, especially when children are exposed to contaminated environments during outdoor activities.
Health officials are urging parents and communities to support the deworming program, emphasizing its importance in protecting children from infections and fostering their overall health and development.
