The Ministry of Health has announced that its officials are currently conducting Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to prevent and control Schistosomiasis.
The Ministry said the exercise objective is to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) through the MDA of praziquantel against schistosomiasis in CRR and URR.
“The Epidemiology and Disease Control Unit at the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Directorate of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE), Directorate of National Public Health Laboratories (DNPHL), Directorate of National Pharmaceutical Services (DNPS), and The Gambia Red cross Society and the Regional Health Directorates of Central and Upper River Regions are currently conducting Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to prevent and control Schistosomiasis,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The MDA in CRR started with the training/orientation of Health workers and cluster monitors from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) was done at the Regional Health Directorates (RHD) for CRR and URR. During the orientation, participants were introduced to schistosomiasis and the purpose of the MDA and the rational for selecting the two health regions (CRR & URR).
“Participants were taken through SOPs on the implementation of the MDA to ensure an effective and efficient delivery of MDA strategy. The MDA campaign started on the 27th November 2021 and was launched in the two health regions based on the evidence from the schistosomiasis endemicity mapping information conducted in 2015,” the statement added.
“During the orientation, Districts and communities were identified and selected based on their endemicity sourced from the mapping in 2015. Based on the targeted communities, various teams were dispatched for the MDA, including social mobilizers whose engagements are solely on sensitizing the communities about the campaign and the benefits of taken the drug during the campaign,” the statement continued.
