Parents withdraw children from school over bilharzia drug

HUNDREDS of pupils were on Tuesday withdrawn from various schools in Mutare by their parents and guardians following widespread panic over the Government-led mass drug administration for bilharzia and intestinal worms that resulted in adverse side-effects on some pupils who received the dosage.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care teamed up with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to treat the two diseases that are affecting school-going children.

However, some children exhibited adverse side-effects soon after taking the dosage as some started complaining of severe stomach pains and running tummies while others fainted.

Word spread quickly of the supposed danger and parents rushed to collect their pupils at various schools in the city in a bid for them to avoid receiving the treatment.

At schools where children had already received treatment, irate parents hurled insults at school authorities, accusing them of exposing their children to danger.

However, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza, said in an interview on Wednesday that the parents need not panic.
He said it was possible that the school children could have developed some side-effects like what happens to any other drugs.

"The reaction to the drug is normal but not a threat to life. Children have to eat first and take the tablets and complications might arise when they are administered the drugs without having put something in their stomachs. We have received some incidences in some areas, but they are minimal.

"We are going to collect all the reports, read them and understand what is happening after which we will give a comprehensive report as a ministry. What worries me is that when some people resist to have their children get treated, we are leaving those pupils at the mercy of the two complications.

"We did a survey throughout the country and we found out that most children were being affected as most of the districts in the country had high prevalence of bilharzia and intestinal worms," he said.

Acting Manicaland provincial education director Mr Andrew Chigumira confirmed the disturbances at some schools as a result of the on-going treatment.

"Yes, we have received reports that some parents disrupted lessons protesting against their children receiving the treatment. I don't know anything about the drugs because that is not my profession, but what I know is that my ministry teamed up with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to administer the drugs at schools," he said.

Mr Chigumira said he will soon get reports from his education officers in the districts to ascertain the extent of the disturbances.
Interviewed parents fumed over the exercise, saying their children were being put at risk.

"I have withdrawn my children from school till this treatment issue stops. Some of the children who took the drugs fainted in our presence while some started having running stomachs.

"I can't risk my children," said the parent, who requested anonymity.

Violence almost broke out at Chirowakamwe Primary School in Dangamvura high-density suburb where parents blocked health officials from administering the treatment upon hearing rumours that some children had fallen sick after taking the drugs.

The school's headmaster was left at the mercy of parents who threatened to beat him up over the issue.

In Chikanga, hundreds of children who were affected by the tablets queued at Chikanga Clinic on Tuesday where they were administered with salt-and-sugar solution to stop running stomach. The children were in great pain as some of them cried for help.