Radaza welcomes deworming project

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza welcomed the proposed joint deworming project of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority and the Department of Health in the city's eight barangays.

Radaza said the proposed deworming plan will complement that of the city.

"Okay man, we have been into deworming projects in the city and that's part of the budget of our City Health. Mag-atiman mi sa mga eskwelahan parte ana," Radaza told The FREEMAN in a recent phone interview.

The helminthes or parasitic worm control program of the airport and the health department will benefit pre-school children in barangays Buaya, Ibo, Pajo, Pusok, Bankal, Pajac, Gun-ob and Basak. This is based on the memorandum of agreement signed by MCIAA General Manager Nigel Paul Villarete and DOH Undersecretary Vicente Belizario last week.

The project is dubbed as "War on Worms" and aims to provide assistance to day care centers in the city.

Belizario said deworming should be done at least twice a year to meet the global standards.

He also said they will initially get a baseline data on the severity of worm infection among children.

According to the project's schedule, research and examination of feces of children will be conducted in the next two months.

Belizario said poor nutrition, poor school performance and chronic worm infections are among the worm-caused complications in children ages one to five years old.

After months of research, Belizario said the "big day" or the deworming proper for children will be carried out in January 2016.

The project is one of  MCIAA's highlight projects for its 25th Charter anniversary this year.   (FREEMAN)