CEHRD Administered Deworming Medication and Vitamin A Supplement in Six Schools in Rivers States

by Josiah Egbilika

Senior Advocacy and Communication Officer, CEHRD

In the bid to ensure good health, the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) carried out deworming, Immunization and giving of Vitamin A supplement exercise in six schools in Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

The programme which was implemented in January, 2025, was part of CEHRD’s healthcare and nutrition project for nursery and primary schools had the Lady of Ivory Nursery and Primary School, K/Dere, St. Bernard Nursery and Primary School, Biara and Bebor nursery and primary school in Bodo, all in Gokana LGA as beneficiaries.

Others are: Wiwa Model nursery and primary school in Bori and Bane in Khana Local Government Area and St. Patrick Nursery and Primary school, Bodo, Gokana LGA.

The objective of the Deworming, Vitamin A supplement, Immunization and Nutrition program is to Improve on the nutritional status of the pupils thereby increasing learning and memory gain. The programme also aims to boost the school attendances and outstanding performances amongst the pupils, reduce Anaemia and Iron deficiency among target population.

Speaking on how the healthcare programme has been a success in his school, the head teacher of St. Patrick Nursery and Primary school, Biara, Mr. Victor Kowate noted that the programme has helped the school in many ways. According to him, the school over the years has experienced increase in the number of pupils enrolment, the health status of the children in the school has also improved.

Mr. Kowate noted that parents that once objected to the programme are now expectant seeing the impact of the healthcare programme on their children. He also noted that personally, the healthcare pgrogramme has affected him positively.

“I used to have swollen in my hand and I also noticed that my heart was always paining me before I started taken the deworming medication and vitamin A supplement but since I started taken it as administered in the school by CEHRD, I no longer experience the heart pain and also the swollen in my hand stopped”, he revealed.

Meanwhile, the pupils were in joyous mood requesting CEHRD to come back again, remarking that the medication is good and they like it.

The healthcare and nutrition programme are sponsored by Timmy Globa Health. The programme is part of CEHRD’s achievements in fostering the sustainable development goal (SDGs) practice which her Nutrition, immunization and deworming program speaks to goal 2 and 3 of the SDGs tagged “Zero Hunger” and “Good Health and well-being” respectively.

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