Hygiene Promotion and Deworming Week in the Fergana Valley
On November 14, 2011, an official kick-off ceremony to launch the Hygiene Promotion and De-worming Week was held in the secondary school #4, in the small town of Vuadil in the Ferghana province. The week-long activity, designed by UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, was aimed at providing de-worming medication to more than 900,000 children aged 6 to 11 in the Ferghana, Namangan and Andijan provinces. Studies conducted by UNICEF and WHO earlier this year have revealed that up to 75 percent of these children have worms.
Through this program, children each received a tablet of mebendazole – one of the most effective de-worming medicines. The second tablet of mebendazole will be given to them in six months, in order to finish the treatment.
While highlighting the importance of providing the de-worming medicine, Mr. Jean-Michel Delmotte, UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan, indicated that priority should be given to the sustainable application of proper hygiene practices among children and their caregivers. Some of these practices are as simple and cost effective as hand washing with soap at critical times during the day, especially after using the bathroom and before eating.
Behavior change communication materials, such as fliers and posters for children and their caregivers, were disseminated to schools and rural medical points. Public service announcements on television and radio were also created by UNICEF and aired throughout the provinces.
The launch ceremony included clown performances and other edutainment elements, designed to show children the importance of proper hand washing in an entertaining yet educational manner.
Mr. Delmotte mentioned that UNICEF would very much like to see this comprehensive effort as a ‘Call to Action’, designed to promote clean water, health curriculum, sanitation and hygiene practices in all schools and SVPs, not only in the Ferghana Valley but also throughout Uzbekistan. He invited the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Education to strengthen their collaborative partnership, in order to offer long-lasting and sustainable benefits to all children, including the most poor and the most vulnerable. This will ensure that all children in Uzbekistan can realize their right to good health and education.
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Worm infections are one of the major health problems confronting millions of school-age children around the world. These parasites consume nutrients from the children they infect, thus aggravating malnutrition while affecting physical development. Worms cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, anemia and various other health problems. These ailments can impair learning while resulting in slow cognitive development, ultimately leading in poor school performance.
Pre-school and school-age children tend to have higher proportions of worm infections. Although intestinal worms can infect all members of a population, these specific groups are at greater risk of heavy infections than others, and are more vulnerable to their harmful effects. These groups benefit most from treatment and preventive interventions.