Wife of the Osun State Governor, Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola and the State Deputy Governor, Mr Benedict Alabi on Tuesday flagged off the Deworming Exercise for pupils of primary school in the state.
The Flag off was held at Anthony Udofia Primary School, Osogbo, the state capital.
The State First Lady used the avenue to called for end for open defecation, stating that the state government is seriously putting in effort and huge resources towards the achievement of a better society free from open defecation.
The deworming exercise was organised by the national homegrown feeding programme under the supervision of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on OMEALS, Alhaja Fauziya Folakemi Olaniyan.
In her speech, Mrs Oyetola called for establishment of sanitation clubs in public schools in order to teach the younger generation the importance of keeping hygienic Environment.
She said, “When I attended this program on November 18th of 2019, I urged our school authorities to take active steps in ensuring the availability of clean and decent toilets in our schools. I want to repeat the same charge to you today. We need our children to deeply be immersed in the culture of using toilets and washing of hands with soaps. We have started witnessing a turnaround in the practice of open defecation in the State. More and more communities and local government areas in the State are being assessed, peer-reviewed, and certificated to have abandoned the practice.
“The time has therefore come to actively promote the message of hygiene in our schools. In those days, we used to get our students sing at Assemblies songs that carry this message. Let us revisit this old trait. Our children should individually be made to become ambassador of making our State Open Defecation Free. We may need to float Sanitation Clubs in our Schools to optimize the consciousness of hygiene and usage of toilets among our students. My Foundation, the IleriOluwa Development Initiative would come up with a promotional mechanism soon to stir up active competition among the Sanitation Clubs of schools, when and where they are established.” The first lady said.
The Deputy Governor while speaking with InsightMedia highlighted the importance of the exercise.
He called on parents to join hands with the State Government towards a fruitful completion of the project across the state, adding that it will aide the growth of the pupils both “physically and mentally”.
Olaniyan in her welcome address said the exercise is a very important one in the lives of the pupils who are Beneficiaries of the feeding programme.
She said, “Today marks the observation of an important event in the life of Osun child, as we have gathered to ensure that another generation of the future leaders of the State have a life that is free from health and medical complications. As you are all aware, worm infect more than one third of the world’s population with the most intent infections in children and the poor.
“There is strong evidence demonstrating how worm infection damage child’s health. Round worm are most prevalent soil transmitted helminthes infection in pre-school children and cause poor absorption in Vitamin A which can aggravate to malnutrition and anemia rates and contribute to greater growth.
“Realizing that children from poor homes are under privilege and disadvantage, it becomes imperative for this present administration to show love and assist these children in diverse areas free health as well as de-worming programme for the school children.”
Olaniyan charged parents to imbibe habit of washing hands. “It is very important to implore the parents in the State to encourage hand washing among the children, as well as maintain a clean and healthy environment so as to prevent them contracting worm infections.”
The exercise will commence across the State on Wednesday and all primary school pupils are expected to benefit from the project.
Present at the event were the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba AbdulRosheed Olabomi; Cabinet Members of Oyetola, top government functionaries, OMEALS vendors, students, youth groups, members of Oye4Osun team, among others.
