Worms block road to children’s academic success

Worms have wiggled their way into classrooms and contributed to poor examination results at the Coast. Just like jiggers that have ravaged thousands of children countrywide, worms too have been taking a huge toll on children in Coast Province.

The problem is particularly acute in Kaloleni, blighting the lives of children between the ages of two and 14. The Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation has found out that one in every three children in the district is infected by worms, a result of poor sanitation.

Some cases have also been attributed to cultural beliefs that discourage people from using toilets, preferring the bushes, and with children walking barefoot, they end up stepping on the waste and getting infested. Some school-going children in Kaloleni District have been de-wormed after studies conducted by the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation showed that worm-related infections lead to poor performance.

Once attacked, the children become weak, appear pale and have distended bellies. Their poor health makes them lose concentration in class. The headteacher of Mwandodo Primary School in the area, Mr Joseph Mutta, said most of the 504 children in the school had health setbacks attributed to worms.

He said they discovered the problem when public health officials visited the school. With the de-worming and sanitation programme, a lot has improved. Similar sentiments were expressed by a parent, Ms Josephine Tinga, who was full of praise for the de-worming programme launched in the area.

“At first we thought it was normal ailments that would just go away with time, but there was no improvement as the conditions of the children were getting worse. “With some education, we came to realise that the main cause of the sicknesses was soil–related worms, but getting the drug was not easy,” she said.

Simple as it may seem, public health officials said access to the drugs had been a big problem because considering transport to the nearest health facility and the minimum cost of the medicine, it comes to between Sh100 and Sh200, which most of the area residents cannot afford.

The single-dose tablet is supposed to be taken at least twice a year. Due to the poor hygiene in most areas, health officials recommend that this be adhered to strictly to ensure the children are free from worms. Rabai division public health officer Peter Mwangome said worms, mainly caused by poor sanitation and lack of access to clean water, were a major problem facing children in the district.

The de-worming programme sponsored by Cosmos Pharmaceutical Limited and Nelson Dzuya Foundation and is targeting more than 100,000 children in the district. The campaign, which is conducted in schools, will cost about Sh6 million. Speaking during a de-worming campaign at Rabai Health Centre Mr Mwangome said a study showed that after about 30,000 children were treated, class attendance and performance improved tremendously.

“The worm problem has been responsible for constant ailments, which keep children out of school and this is mainly because they are exposed to dirt and lack of sanitary facilities like toilets. “Besides the abdominal problems, there have also been many cases of bilharzia among the children, which must be addressed as well,” he said.

Mr Nelson Dzuya, founder of the foundation named after him, said the programme has so far reached about 90,000 children. He appealed for more donors to support the campaign and improve the education and health standards in the area.

Similar problems

After Kaloleni, Mr Dzuya said, they would be extending the campaign to Kilifi and Kwale, where children face similar problems. “We realised that something had to be done to improve education standards. The worms were disrupting education, preventing pupils from studying. It is not enough to have textbooks and buildings when children cannot learn properly.

“While the programme is providing drugs which are too expensive for local residents, there have to be long-term plans to ensure the people get clean drinking water,” Mr Dzuya said.

He said children could not perform well in class if they have health problems, however small they may appear, because this affects concentration and in most cases leads to absenteeism from school.