DEWORMING PROJECT

The goal of our deworming project is to reduce or eliminate the incidence of round worms in the schoolchildren of Ugenya by deworming them at regular intervals.

Several types of round worms are found in Ugenya— hookworms ('long red worms' in local parlance), ascaris ('long white worms') and whipworms ('short white worms).

Hookworms reside in the soil and enter the body through the skin of the feet. Almost no one in Ugenya, and certainly not schoolchildren, wears shoes, so hookworm infestation is very common. The worm hooks itself to the gastrointestinal tract and causes a slow, constant blood loss. This contributes to the severe anemia found throughout Ugenya.

Ascaris and whipworms enter the body in contaminated water or contaminated food. They are common because very few people in Ugenya have access to potable water and few villages have safe ways to dispose of human waste. Victims of these worms suffer considerable discomfort and loss of appetite. The worms also cause malabsorption and nutrient loss so that whatever food the victim eats is not optimally metabolized. Infected children suffer from growth retardation and perform less well than their peers at school.

Fortunately the treatment of worms is easy and cost effective. They can be eradicated by a single dose of mebendazole or abendazole at a cost of less than $2. Deworming children three times a year will improve their growth, school performance and overall health. Schools are an ideal venue for this program because the teachers are well educated, motivated and accepted by the community. Also, the school system is robust, at least for primary education, and virtually all children can be reached. We have started a pilot program at 20 schools and hope to expand to all schools in Ugenya by 2010.

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