Ethiopia has launched a large-scale nationwide mass drug administration (MDA) against soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and Schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia), targeting 17 million school-aged children. The MDA aims to cover children aged 5-14 years, encompassing children enrolled in schools as well as those within the same age range but not enrolled in schools.

The current MDA aims to cove 461 woredas (districts) in all 11 regions of the country. The MDA is being conducted using Mebendazole for STH and Praziquantel for Schistosomiasis. Both drugs are administered in areas with endemic for both diseases, and a single drug is administered in areas endemic to only one of the diseases.

STH infections are widespread in the country, with an estimated 88 million people living in STH-endemic areas. Close to 28 million of these are school-age children, and 23 million of these live in areas with higher infection rates and therefore qualifying for STH-treatment. Schistosomiasis is also endemic in the country with an estimated 56 million people residing in endemic areas.

Lack of hygiene and certain play habits of school-aged children make them especially vulnerable to one or both of these diseases, which are caused by parasitic worms. Infected children are physically, nutritionally and cognitively impaired.

Control activities include periodical deworming to eliminate infecting worms, health education to prevent re-infection, and improved sanitation and hygiene.

The current effort to deworm large populations is the fourth MDA since 2007. In the first MDA in 2007, 1 million school-age children were dewormed for STH and Schistosomiasis; and 6.8 million and 7.8 million school-age children received similar treatments in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

For the ongoing MDA, World Health Organization (WHO) made the drugs available through donations from Merck Inc. and Johnson & Johnson – Merck Inc. provided Praziquantel, and Children without Worms (CWW) provided Mebendazole doses donated by Johnson & Johnson. The WHO Ethiopia Country Office also provided technical support in training of drug distributors and supportive supervision of the drug distribution in all regions.

The End Fund, The Imperial College of London Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI), Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Evidence Action similarly provided technical and financial support to the conduct of the mass drug administration to deworm school-age children.

 Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) partners work with the Ministry of Health across the various aspects of control – from prevention to treatment. For example, UNICEF works closely with schools and communities in WASH and nutrition programs, and provides information, education, communication (IEC) materials on how to prevent the cycle of worm infection and how to increase consumption of iron-rich foods.

This MDA is the first of two rounds planned for 2015-2016. According to current plans, the second round of MDA will take place in April 2016.