Benue: Assembly member flags off free deworming programme for 10,000 children
By Titus Atondu, Makurdi
A member of the Benue State House of Assembly representing Gboko East constituency, Hon. Mrs. Beckie Orpin has flagged off a free mass medical deworming programme for 10,000 children of her constituency in Gboko local government area of the State.
Nigerian NewsDirect reports that the exercise took place in three council wards that made up her constituency of Gboko East include, Mbayion, Ipav and Yandev.
Mrs. Orpin, who is the House Committee Chairman on Appropriation, said that the programme is one of the modest ways of responding to the health and development needs of children within her constituency.
The lawmaker who stressed the need for leaders in the Country to prioritize the well being of children, observed that many children have suffered impediments to their growth and several factors have accounted for why they cannot fully develop.
“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 nurished and cared for and provided with a safe and stimulating environment, they are more likely to survive, to have less disease and fewer illnesses,” Beckie explained.
She said the free deworming programme was carried out in partnership with managrment of Tyonex Nigeria Limited, a pharmaceutical company being managed by Dr. Emmanuel Tyovenda Agba.
The lawmaker said the children dewormed are those between 2 to 12 years, and promised to seek more partnership with other similar organizations to improve the health needs of children in the area.
In a remark, Mr. 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 system and perform better while at school.
The traditional ruler of the area, Chief Joseph Ikpaahula, commended Hon. Orpin for the initiative, considering the health challenge of the children whom he described as leaders of tomorrow.
Chief Ikpaahula who encouraged Hon. Orpin 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.
