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Herald Reporter
The treatment of children against intestinal worms and bilharzia entered its fifth day yesterday, with indications the programme will achieve its target of more than four million children. Epidemiology and disease control director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira said the process started well at most centres in the country last week.

The exercise was informed by a national survey conducted in 2010 which identified areas which needed the treatment, she said.
Areas with a high burden of bilharzia will be receiving the Praziquantel drug, while those with a high worm burden will receive Albendazole tablets. Those children with both parasites are receiving both drugs.

When the Herald visited schools in Kuwadzana, Warren Park, Belvedere, Glen View in Harare on Friday where the treatment was expected to take place said they were still to receive information as to when the exercise would start.

Dr Manangazira said there was a possibility that the treatment would occur at different times in different places due to the process of getting the drugs to the schools, community centres and clinics where the administering would take place.

She said support and supervision teams were sent out yesterday and said no challenges had been reported yet. She encouraged parents to co-operate with health workers.
The treatment is beneficial to the development and general well-being of children, said Dr Manangazira.