Over 10,000 children in Gboko local government area of Benue State between the ages of 2 and 12 years have benefitted from the free mass deworming exercise flagged off by the member representing Gboko East constituency, Becky Orpin.
Orpin, who is the House Committee chairman on Appropriation, said the programme is one of the modest ways of responding to the health and development needs of children within her constituency.
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The lawmaker who stressed the need for leaders in the country to prioritize the wellbeing of children, observed that many children have suffered growth impediments and several other factors that accounted for why they cannot grow well.
“It is our hope that every child grows and lives his full potential but depriving infants and young children of basic health care and denying them the nutrients needed for growth and development sets them up to fail in life.
“But when children are well nourished, cared for and provided with a safe and stimulating environment, they are more likely to enjoy a healthy growth and live a less disease life,” she added.
She said the free deworming programme was carried out in partnership with management of Tyonex Nigeria Limited, a pharmaceutical company being managed by Dr Emmanuel Tyovenda Agba.
The lawmaker said the children dewormed are those from 2 to 12 years and promised to seek more partnership with other organisations to improve the health needs of children in the area.
In a remark, Pharmacist Agba disclosed that over 1.5 billion children are suffering from deworming worldwide, stressing that children that are properly dewormed usually grow up to have sound health systems and performs better while at school.
The traditional ruler of the area, Chief Joseph Ikpaahula, commended Orpin for considering the health challenges of the children whom he described as leaders of tomorrow. Ikpaahula who encouraged the lawmaker to do more, saluted the awareness of parents towards immunisation of their children against diseases like polio and measles, a development he said has gone a long way in eradicating deadly diseases in the society.
The exercise took place in three council wards of the local government which include Mbayion, Ipav and Yandev.