PESHAWAR: The health department is starting a four-day deworming programme for children aged 5 to 14 in 22 high-risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from November 4 to 8.

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Pakistan Deworming Initiative (PDI) jointly hosted a media symposium here on Monday, focusing on the crucial role media played in controlling worm infections in children.

This event brought together representatives from health, education, administration, local government and rural development departments along with Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and media sector to emphasise the importance of public awareness in combating intestinal worm infections, which continued to affect millions of school-aged children in 22 high-risk districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

During the symposium, media representatives, government officials, and technical experts highlighted the widespread nature of worm infections and how the media could amplify the message to reach even the most remote and vulnerable populations.

Symposium highlights role of media in combating childhood worm infections

Speaking on the occasion, Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Ihtisham Ali said, “By working together, we are building a healthier future for our children in 22 high-risk districts of the province through a deworming campaign scheduled to treat 8 plus million school-aged children from 4th to 8th November.” He said that media played a vital role in that mission and the partnership with Pemra had strengthened their ability to engage communities and protect the health of millions of children.

“Pemra, as a strategic partner, has been actively supporting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Deworming Initiative since 2020 by ensuring the dissemination of deworming campaign messages through television channels, cable networks, and digital platforms,” said Pemra DG Mohammad Tahir in a video message.

KP Secretary Health Adeel Shah emphasised, “The impact of this initiative on the health and education of our children can’t be understated—it is a cornerstone of public health in KP.”

Masood Ahmad, Secretary Education highlighted, “The school-based approach in the province has been instrumental in reaching children who would otherwise be left behind.”

He said that countries where deworming consistently happened had shown an increase in school attendance by 25 per cent.

Dr Tufail M. Khan, from Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA) stated, “Preventing these infections is not just a health issue, but a matter of protecting the educational future of our children.” He asserted that regular deworming, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), was paramount in reducing these infections and improving children’s overall health and school performance.

The media symposium is part of a broader effort to engage media partners in expanding the reach of the Pakistan Deworming Initiative. Dr Fazal Majeed and Dr Shahid Younas from the health department mentioned that their collective efforts were transformative and with continued support from Pemra and media, they could ensure no child was left behind in this battle against parasitic infections.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024