Albendazole

Much of the work conducted by our Community Health Workers (CHWs) can be difficult to visualize in an immediate sense. Health education and encouraging health seeking behaviors are crucial efforts, but only reveal their true impact over long periods of time. However, the CHWs also partake in some activities that have a much more immediate, tangible effects. The bi-annual de-worming campaign is one such example.

Intestinal parasites is a widespread problem in Haiti, with 32% of school aged children infected at any given time. The parasites can consume up to 20% of a child's daily nutritional intake. Consequently, children can suffer from anemia, delays in physical and mental development, a weakened immune system, vitamin deficiencies, and overall lowered energy, in addition to acute symptoms such as diarrhea and stomach aches.

Multiple studies have shown deworming efforts to be highly effective in increasing school attendance, with the positive effects carrying on into adulthood. For example, one study found that regular deworming treatment led to a 25% reduction in school absences and a 20% increase in adult earnings. The intervention is relatively easy to implement; we work with the schools to give each child one pill every six months. It is also extremely inexpensive, costing under 50 cents a year per child, including all training, transportation, distribution, and medication costs. As explained by the WHO, the primary goal of this regular treatment is to reduce the number of worms per child, rather than the number of children with worms. In the long term, the real solution is to improve sanitation conditions, but the current approach "implicitly recognizes that reinfection will occur until effective clean water and sanitation facilities are installed."

Take a look at some pictures from this year's Albendazole campaign!