Adamawa Commences Phase Three of Deworming Campaign

The Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA) has announced the commencement of Phase Three of its deworming campaign, targeting no fewer than 100,000 school children across the state.

Rashida Tahir, Director of Community Health Services, revealed this during a media engagement meeting held on Wednesday in Yola.

The exercise, scheduled from April 31 to June 4, is aimed at reducing the prevalence of intestinal worm infections among school-aged children.

Read Also: 400,000 Adamawa Children Need Urgent Nutrition – UNICEF

“This campaign is part of our commitment to promoting school health services. We will reach pupils in 84 densely populated schools—four in each local government area,” Tahir said.

Dr Suleiman Bashir, Executive Chairman of PHCDA, applauded the media for its role in raising awareness and promoting immunisation programmes across the state.

He cited the recently concluded Immunisation Plus Days as a success and pledged continued collaboration with media partners.

“Media engagement has been instrumental in tackling myths and misinformation surrounding immunisation.

“The role of journalists is crucial to improving public health outcomes,” he added.

Dr Bashir also highlighted Adamawa’s leadership in the payment of counterpart funding, attributing this to the political will of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and his administration’s commitment to healthcare.

He further announced that the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) Week would run from May 31 to June 3, coinciding with the school-based deworming campaign across all 226 wards in the state.

Dr Joseph Jacob, Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, disclosed that during the last immunisation campaign, 986 cases of non-compliance were recorded—only five of which remain unresolved.

He emphasised that sustained media advocacy would be key in addressing the root causes of resistance, which include misinformation, cultural practices, and religious beliefs.

“We are confident that with continued support from the media, we can reach more families and improve uptake of essential health services,” Jacob stated.

The deworming and MNCH programmes are part of Adamawa’s broader strategy to strengthen preventive healthcare and improve child health indicators across the state.

NAN