Children's Health

Deworming

The Problem with Worms

Children in our area, especially those who don’t have shoes,  often suffer from parasitic worm infections, The most common type is hookworm, though pinworm, whipworm, threadworm, and flatworm are also widespread. These infections are often caused by contact with soil contaminated by human waste.

Worms can enter the body through small cuts on the feet, travel internally to the lungs and eventually the small intestine. There, they attach and feed on the child’s blood and nutrients, leading to stomach pain, diarrhoea, fatigue and malnutrition.

The outcome can be serious. Children may develop large, swollen bellies and become too weak to walk or concentrate in school. Without treatment, these infections can cause long-term health and developmental problems.

What We Do to Help

Until recently, the Ghanaian government provided free de-worming tablets for children, but that support has now stopped in our region.

In response, we organise annual de-worming initiatives, working closely with District Health Officers to:

distribute free de-worming tablets to children

ensure safe and consistent treatment

educates families on hygiene and prevention to reduce reinfection

De-worming tablets are simple, low-cost, and effective and can dramatically improve a child’s energy and well-being in just a few days.

Help our children

Just 50p provides deworming tablets for one child for a full year. We currently reach 17,000 children annually, and with your support, we can extend this to even the most remote communities.