MANILA, Philippines -- The health department received on Monday 17 million deworming tablets from Feed The Children International (FTCI) for its mass deworming campaign for school-age children.

While the incidence of intestinal parasitism among children has gone down in the past years, it still remains a headache for public health officials as it leads to a host of problems among a vulnerable demographic, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

?Parasitism or worm infection remains a public health problem having the widest distribution and the highest prevalence rates,? Duque said.

?Children freed of worms in their system have better opportunity of survival,? he added. The health department said studies show children who have been de-wormed gain weight and enjoy improved nutritional status.

They are also most likely to become intelligent adults and have better immunity systems that will help them ward off diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, according to the health secretary.

In 2004, the prevalence rate of parasitism throughout the country was 67% among children belonging to the 1-5 years age group, the department said.

Two years later, in a study conducted by the department, the University of the Philippines, and the United Nations Children?s Fund among children in selected local government units, the prevalence rate was down to 54%.

This year?s donation of 17 million Mebendazole tablets is FTCI?s largest. FTCI also donated 3.8 million and 3.5 million Mebendazole tablets in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

In October 2006, during the first deworming campaign, 6.1 million of the target 11.1 million children aged 1-5 years old were given the tablets.

Since last year, children aged 1-12 years old have been targeted for mass deworming. Of the total 58.6 million target children, 30.7 million were dewormed.

Duque?s announcement of an intensified deworming campaign came as the department geared up for National Safe Kids Week, which is held every third week of June.

This year?s theme, ?INGAT BATA! Always Think of Child Safety: Safe Homes, Safe Schools, and Safe Community," stresses the creation of conditions conducive to injury prevention.

For every 100,000 children, 25 die from injuries from car accidents, falls, poisoning, violence, assaults, drowning and animal bites, according to the department. Those who survive are left with disabilities.

Duque said these causes of death could have been prevented had the communities, parents, and schools been mindful of child safety.