The Cross River State Government, in partnership with Evidence Action, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is set to deworm 912,854 children across 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) during the 2025 deworming campaign.
Speaking to journalists, Toochi Ohaji, Senior Programme Manager for Evidence Action in the South-South region, disclosed the plans for the upcoming exercise. He noted that a similar initiative in 2024 successfully reached 847,455 children in the same LGAs.
Ohaji emphasized that the primary objective of the campaign is to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) by 2030. He also highlighted that Evidence Action operates in five Nigerian states Cross River, Rivers, Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun where it treats over six million children annually for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis.
The 2025 deworming exercise is scheduled to take place from May 14 to 20, with a focus on school-based treatments targeting children aged 5 to 14 years. Ohaji confirmed that the medications, supplied by the World Health Organization (WHO), have already been delivered to the state with support from Evidence Action.
The Cross River’s NTD Coordinator at the State Ministry of Health, Veronica Mark confirmed that health officials conducting the exercise have been adequately trained. She stated that the programme will cover 14 LGAs, while the remaining four LGAs will be included in a separate initiative.
Mark also appealed to journalists to raise public awareness about the importance of deworming, assuring that the drug, mebendazole, is safe, effective, and will be administered free of charge.
Ogechukwu Ukekwe, TV360 Nigeria
