A Little About Worms and Albendazole The Other Face of Malnutrition Guidelines for Worm Pill Distribution MUCH MORE with a Little Less Models and Reports Worm Project Stories Worm Project Recipes Newsletter - Winter 2006 (PDF format, 2.89 MB) Home

Models and Reports A program in Ecuador is one example of where this money can be used. The World Food Program, the Canadian government and both the Health and Education Ministries of Ecuador are collaborating to feed about one million children for two years. These children are selected from the poorest and most remote areas of that country. In their school program they are giving the children a highly nutritious biscuit and drink every day. The problem is that, because of intestinal worms, the authorities realize that part of their investment is lost because the worms are being fed along with the targeted children. Extra funds were found for three million pills but they still lack funds for three million more. This program seeks to provide funds so projects like this can be completed. The de-worming pills have been distributed in approximately 70 countries of the 100 countries where worms are a health issue. Approximately seven million pills have been distributed with several million more about to go overseas. Tanzania prevents iron-deficiency anemia in mothers and children in Zanzibar In Zanzibar, Tanzania, a school-based de-worming program has had a dramatic impact on children's health and development. Among the children involved, regular low-cost treatment has led to an increase in height and weight, a reduction in the prevalence of severe anemia, and improved nutritional status. Read on... Peru Deworming Program The new Peruvian program is modeled on the successful Ecuadorian model where the poorest school children of the country are provided with a nutritious daily meal. The Worm Project is assisting by providing deworming pills. This ensures that all the nutrition provided can be utilized by the children rather than sharing it with the worms. The Report The pills were administered during breakfast to facilitate their ingestion. Most children (up to 60%) expelled worms about three hours after ingestion, both in their stools and through the mouth and nose. The process of deworming scared many parents who went to the schools and health centers to ask if the reaction was normal and what measures should be taken. This reaction demonstrated the great need to provide health counseling to families on health, and made it evident that training workshops should also target the beneficiary population. During the workshops some of the results of the first deworming were mentioned: the great quantity of worms expelled by the children scared the parents inducing them to improve household sanitary conditions and, in some cases, to build home latrines; subsequent to the first campaign, the distended bellies of affected children returned to normal again; the children's appetites improved; the children became more cheerful, communicative and participative; the children were more attentive in class; the parents observed that the children began to rest better at night; the parents became very openly conscious of the seriousness of parasitosis and very supportive of the deworming program. The Peruvian government has been very impressed with the deworming program. As a result they have made a ruling that there will be no school lunch programs unless accompanied by deworming of those receiving the lunches. In addition, they now want to expand the deworming program to 1,500,000 children.