Hala Zayed, Minister of Health and Population, announced the launch of the National Campaign to Eliminate Intestinal Worms for Egyptian and Non-Egyptian Primary School Students and Kindergartens residing in Egypt for free, at the school level in all governorates of the Republic, from 8 to 19 November.
Dr. Khaled Mujahid, advisor to the Minister of Health and Population for Media Affairs and the official spokesperson for the ministry, explained that the campaign aims to administer doses of the drug Albendazole to 15 million students in primary school and kindergartens in all schools (governmental – private – Azhari), stressing that the drug is a single tablet that is easy to chew and swallow. It is safe, effective and has no side effects.
Mujahid added that infection with intestinal parasites, especially Ascaris worms and Axures (pinworms), is more prevalent among children from the age of 4 to 12 years, as children of school age are the most vulnerable to infection with these worms.
For his part, Dr. Alaa Eid, Head of the Preventive Medicine Sector, indicated that infection with Axure Worms (pinworms) is the result of a lack of attention to personal hygiene and unhealthy practices, and is easily transmitted through contaminated hands and often self-infection occurs, which leads to its rapid spread Among schoolchildren, “Ascaris” is also transmitted by eating vegetables and fruits contaminated with eggs.
Eid explained that infection with these worms leads to abdominal pain with vomiting and diarrhea, in addition to loss of appetite with weight loss, and then anemia and general weakness with lack of concentration.
Eid stressed that paying attention to personal hygiene, along with constantly trimming nails and washing hands before and after eating, is one of the most important ways to prevent diseases, and washing vegetables well before eating them and preserving foods away from exposure to pollution reduces human infection with many diseases.
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