Cross River State Launches Mass Deworming Campaign Targeting 400,000 Schoolchildren to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases

Cross River State launches a 5-day campaign to deworm 400,000 schoolchildren, addressing neglected tropical diseases amid calls for more domestic health funding.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 11, 2026, 6:43 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Peoples Gazette

Strategic Intervention for Pediatric Health in the South South

Cross River State has commenced an ambitious public health initiative aimed at deworming 400,000 schoolchildren as part of its 2026 mass treatment campaign. The program specifically targets neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which continue to pose significant health risks to developmental age groups. Tochi Ohaji, a senior manager at Evidence Action, explained that the intervention is a critical component of Nigeria’s broader master plan to eliminate these conditions by 2030. By focusing on school aged children between five and 14 years old, the state aims to reduce the prevalence of debilitating parasitic infections that often hinder educational outcomes and physical growth.

Targeted Deployment Across High Prevalence Councils

The current phase of the operation is strategically limited to seven of the state’s 18 local government areas, selected based on impact assessments conducted alongside the Federal Ministry of Health. Benefitting regions include Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani, Biase, Akamkpa, Yakurr, and Etung. According to state coordinator Veronica Mark, these areas were prioritized due to disease prevalence data that qualifies them for mass drug administration. The state government has also mobilized specialized teams to penetrate hard to reach rural communities, ensuring that the geographic barriers of the Niger Delta do not prevent eligible children from receiving life saving medication.

Addressing the Challenges of Declining Global Support

A significant concern raised during the campaign’s launch is the growing phenomenon of donor fatigue among international partners. Jacob Solomon, a program officer for the elimination of schistosomiasis, warned that global funding for neglected tropical diseases is beginning to contract. This shift places an increased burden on domestic authorities to fill the financial vacuum. Solomon urged the Cross River government and other endemic states to establish dedicated, non-transferable budget lines for these health programs. Ensuring that funds are not only appropriated but actually released is seen as the only way to protect the significant gains achieved in disease control over the past decade.