A coordinated health and nutrition intervention led by the Millennium Child Support Group (MCSG), with support from the Spanish Cooperation through ECOWAS-RAAF, has begun delivering deworming services to schoolchildren across Northern Ghana.
More than 420 pupils at Muftul Ulum and Nuriah English and Arabic Schools in Gwollu were the first to benefit under the School Feeding and Child Nutrition Improvement Initiative.
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The initiative is expected to reach at least 1,600 pupils in eight basic schools within Sissala West, Jirapa, Lawra and Nandom Municipalities.
It seeks to curb malnutrition, prevent parasitic infections, improve cognitive development and raise school attendance and enrolment.
The Sissala West District Health Directorate spearheaded the exercise and led sensitisation sessions for parents and caregivers on nutrition, sanitation, personal hygiene and child healthcare practices.
MCSG Chief Executive Officer, Dr Godfrey Ato Parker, said the deworming will occur every three months from 2024 to 2027, emphasising its importance to learning performance, school retention and long-term development.
District Director of Education, Mr Chakurah Dramani, commended the partners for their commitment to child welfare and highlighted the impact of deworming on concentration, physical growth and cognitive performance.
Acting District Director of Health Services, Mr. Yakubu Benin, urged families to maintain good hygiene practices to prevent sanitation-related infections and protect children from preventable diseases.
The intervention forms part of a broader school feeding effort aimed at increasing enrolment, enhancing attendance and ensuring active classroom participation.
It strengthens the joint mission of ECOWAS and MCSG to promote child health, nutrition and educational success across West Africa.
