Over 2 million Nigerian children receive treatment against parasitic worms

In Nigeria 44 million children are at risk of being infected with Schistosomiasis. Over the past three months, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN) has supported Nigeria to reach over 2 million children who have never had Schistosomiasis treatment before. 

“My son had blood in his urine for almost a year and I didn’t know what to do,” says Rahab Haruna, a 45-year-old mother from Adamawa State.
“I went to several pharmacies and explained the symptoms, to no avail. When we went to hospital, he was diagnosed with Schistosomiasis. We were also told the drugs to treat the disease is scarce and we were given alternatives that did not work. I can’t wait to take this drug home to give to my son and his friends,” she exclaimed when given Praziquantel, the WHO recommended treatment against all forms of schistosomiasis.

Conducted across 27 LGAs in Borno, 18 LGAs in Adamawa and 3 LGAs in Bauchi state, ESPEN contributed in bringing the geographic coverage of treatment to 100% in Adamawa, Borno and Bauchi states.

Find out more from WHO AFRO Nigeria website.