Control worms - save lifes

Medical treatment of schoolchildren in the Andes

In countries such as Germany, worm infections are rather rare, although even in this country children are still most frequently affected. A good health care system makes it possible to treat and eliminate worms quickly. But especially in tropical countries, where medical care is not as effective as in Germany, worms are not uncommon among children. This is also the case in the Andes of Ecuador. People in the mountains usually live spread out in small villages and the way to the next health clinic is often very long. This often means that children are not treated and worm infections lead to severe malnutrition, which has a negative effect on the development and education of the children. The aim of this good deed is to rid children of the worms living in their intestines and to prevent them from spreading.

Background

It is estimated that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide are affected by intestinal worms (WHO, 2019). These are transmitted via contact with human faeces. The risk of infection is particularly high in tropical areas such as Ecuador and in regions without well-functioning sanitation. A study of Ecuador's rural areas showed that about 30 per cent of all children were infected with intestinal worms (Cartelle Gastal, 2015). Of these, about half suffered from malnutrition as a result. Further consequences could be anaemia, iron deficiency and abnormal growth. Worm infections thus have an extreme impact on child development, especially in tropical countries. In addition to drug therapy, better prevention through better sanitary conditions is needed to combat this situation. Another problem is that many people in the Andean regions live far away from medical centres. Getting there is therefore often associated with high costs.

The good deed

Your donation supports a mobile clinic that will provide free basic medical care to the communities of the Andes. The main focus is on the treatment of children, elderly and poor patients. In Ecuador, these groups in particular have difficulty accessing state health care because most medical centres are located in the cities. Every calendar donation today finances a dose of deworming for a child in Ecuador with the aim of reducing the infection rate in these communities. In this way, fewer people in general will suffer from worm infections and this will have a long-term positive effect on the nutritional and educational situation of these children.