Big number of kids with worms in Bicol alarming, says DOH

LEGAZPI CITY –– The number of children suffering from intestinal parasitic worm infection in Bicol has reached an alarming level, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.

Records from the DOH indicate that six of 10 children or 67 percent of children with ages 1 to 18, were infected with intestinal worms, according to Francia Genorga, coordinator of DOH Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis.

Genorga said Bicol had the highest number of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) infection cases in the country based on the 2013 to 2015 STH infection study.

Other regions with a high prevalence of intestinal worms were Central Visayas (55%), Mimaropa (40%), ARMM (37%), Central Luzon (32%), Zamboanga Peninsula (27%), Caraga (22%), and NCR (21%).

The Cordillera Autonomous Region had the lowest prevalence rate with only seven percent.

Genorga said the acceptable standard based on the World Health Organization (WHO) was only 30 percent prevalence rate.

“The rising intestinal worm infection incidence is now alarming as this can affect the children’s growth and health condition,” she said.

The study showed that Sorsogon province had the highest prevalence rate with 89 percent, while Albay had the lowest with 44 percent. Masbate province had 77 percent; Catanduanes, 63 percent; Camarines Norte, 57; and Camarines Sur with 52 percent.

The high incidence of intestinal worm infection prompted the DOH to intensify a household and school-based deworming drive covering 2.5 million children.

For this year’s deworming campaign, the DOH expected to deworm at least 78 percent or 2 million children.