16 Mar 2022

The public should disregard myths peddled by some people about the drug Praziquantel, which government is currently administering to school children in a nationwide campaign against Bilharzia.

Project manager for Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Dr Tuduetso Molefi said in an interview yesterday that the pill was safe.

“The pill that children are given is safe as it has gone through trials by World Health Organisation,” she said, adding there was no way the ministry could administer a dangerous drug to children or any person for that matter.

Dr Molefi further stated that only in some cases especially if the child had not eaten, would there be mild or short lived side effects such as nausea and/or slight headache after taking the pill.

“That is the reason we give the tablet immediately after break time in schools as most children would have had their meal,” she said.

Dr Molefi therefore called on parents to let their children take the treatment adding the ministry was running the campaign in collaboration with schools and parents as critical stakeholders.

She said the ministry had sent consent letters to parents for them to indicate if they allowed their children to take the drug or not.

She encouraged parents who were not yet decided to authorise administration of the drug as it was a preventative measure not only for the good of the children but also for the benefit of public health.

In another interview, ministry spokesperson Dr Christopher Nyanga said the exercise was going satisfactorily.

“The ministry is pleased to indicate that the majority of parents have consented to the administration of the drug on their children,” he said.

He however regretted there were a few who had not yet signed consent forms and urged them to do so to ensure their children were protected against possible Bilharzia infection.

Dr Nyanga pointed out that the World Health Assembly endorsed Praziquantel in 2001 as the recommended drug to combat Bilharzia.

The ministry, in line with the Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021-2030 plan devised the campaign themed, ‘Ending the neglect’ targeting children of ages between five and 14, in districts affected by the disease and with a prevalence rate above 10 per cent, he said.

Dr Nyanga said initially, given the fact the disease was endemic in wetlands, the ministry’s focus was in Chobe and Ngami areas, but a decision was made to extend immunisation to other districts given the fact people were mobile and likely to move from wetlands to other areas, in the process transferring the disease.

Other areas include, Bobirwa, Ghanzi, Good Hope, Charles Hill, Francistown, Jwaneng, Kgalagadi North, Lobatse, North East, Palapye, Selibe Phikwe, Serowe, Tutume and Gaborone.

Since the start of the campaign, there have been numerous myths, which generally implied that the pill was not safe and may alter the shape of certain organs.

The campaign, which started March 7, ends on March 25. ENDS