Cape Town - The National School Deworming Programme (NSDP)’s countrywide launch at Zimasa Primary School in Langa on Tuesday saw Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga extolling the programme’s benefits.
“Deworming pupils is in sync with the new UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as achieving universal primary education and reducing child mortality, to name but two,” said Motshekga.
“The aim of the programme is to improve children’s health, reduce health barriers to learning, and assist pupils to stay in school and perform to the best of their abilities.”
It further intended to promote hygiene-oriented attitudes and behaviours that would have a positive impact on the current and future health status of pupils.
Deworming substantially improves health and school participation for treated and untreated children, by reducing transmission of infection in the community, Motshekga said.
“It seeks to address a range of health and social challenges that are faced by young people, especially related to sexual and reproductive health.
“This holistic response appraises, protects and improves the health of pupils, with the goal of reducing absenteeism, increasing academic achievement and, ultimately, the quality of basic education.”
She highlighted the programme’s main sponsor, Johnson & Johnson, which supplied 7 million tablets to the programme.
Deworming is voluntary, according to Motshekga, who urged parents’ consent for their children’s treatment.
It was conducted among Zimasa Primary’s Grade R and Grade 1 pupils, and is earmarked for roll-out to all public schools nationally.
She explained that deworming was carried out in two phases annually, and that the next round of vaccination would be in August and September.
The programme is a flagship part of the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) and is linked to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP).
Motshekga said the ISHP had adopted a three-pronged approach to health education – including the type of worms; how transmission is taking place; prevention of worms and washing of hands integrated into the workbooks; regular deworming of children in schools; and provision of adequate sanitation, safe water and the maintenance thereof to be provided to schools.
She also explained that the Council of Education Ministers had approved the ISHP, a joint initiative with the departments of Health and Social Development.
Among those at the launch were health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo, representatives of Unicef, the World Health Organisation and representatives from the NSDP’s funders.
Other representatives who attended the launch of the project included heads of provincial Education and Social Development departments.
“The plan indicates that we will reach universal coverage of just over 6 million pupils,” said Motshekga
The programme also has support from the South African Principals Association, the Heads of Education Committee and school governing body associations.
Cape Times