Kwara, Firm Flag Off Deworming Programme For School Pupils
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Kwara State government in partnership with a pharmaceutical company, Biomedical Limited, Ilorin, on Wednesday embarked on mass deworming exercise for school children in the state.
Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, who flagged off the programme, administered doses of the intravenous fluid on some selected pupils.
He was supported by the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Nusirat Elelu.
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor said that the deworming programme was an important strategy meant to improve the health condition of school children in the state.
Alabi, who said that government alone cannot shoulder every responsibility of governance, added that the partnership was aimed at complementing efforts of the state government towards ensuring quality healthcare delivery.
“It’s not the first time the Biomedical Limited is partnering with the state government. The company also patterned with us during COVID-19 pandemic era”, he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Kwara state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Nusirat Elelu, said that parasites like worms are the major cause of malnutrition in children.
“To prevent worms affecting our children and other ailments, it is advisable to deworm every six months for healthy living”, she said.
The marketing manager of Biomedical Limited, Mr. Watson Olojo, said that the company is one of the indigenous manufacturers of intravenous fluid, “and not only in Nigeria but in the Africa’s west coast. This event is meant to mark our 40th anniversary and the deworming programme is one of our corporate social responsibility activities”.
