By Derick Tsimba
Zimbabwe has successfully implemented a six year Mass Drug Administration to schools through the Ministry of Health and Child Care and its Stakeholders.
Speaking during a stakeholders meeting in Victoria Falls yesterday, Matebeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Richard Moyo said there was need to sustain the elimination of diseases in the environment.
“There is need to address environmental and other determinants of diseases if elimination is to be achieved and sustained. It is in this vein that we have humbly requested His Excellency The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe to graciously accept our gratitude for his propelling support towards, not only this programme, but also his commitment to tackle all preventable communicable and neglected tropical diseases by using the simple but proven public health approaches especially through launching and sustaining the National Clean-up Campaign and signing of the new Public Health Act,” he said.
Ministry of Health and Child Care Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control, Dr Portia Manangazira said Zimbabwe had implemented the annual Mass Drug Administration since 2012.
“A policy on school based Mass Drug Administration for Schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) enabled the country to implement the annual Mass Drug Administration from 2012. For SCH Mass Drug Administration targeted the 5-15 years age group, STH Mass Drug Administration targeted the 1-15 years age group,” said Dr Manangazira.
The Harare Post has learnt that 1.5 billion people are infected with soil transmitted Helminthiasis worldwide. Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis infections are caused by different species of parasitic worms, transmitted by eggs present in human faeces which contaminate the soil in areas with poor sanitation.
Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic disease caused by parasitic worms. People are infected during routine agricultural, domestic, occupational and recreational activities which expose them to infested water. Schistosomiasis is also known as snail fever and bilharzia, it is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes. The urinary tract or the intestines may be infected. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine.
