Kwara State government in partnership with a pharmaceutical company in the state, biomedical Limited has embarked on mass deworming exercise among school children in the state.

Speaking during the flag-off of the programme in Ilorin, on Wednesday, the state deputy governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, said that the deworming programme was an important strategy meant to improve the health condition of school children in the state.

The deputy governor, who said that government alone cannot shoulder every responsibility of governance, added that the partnership was aimed to complement efforts of the state government at ensuring quality healthcare delivery.

“It's not the first time biomedical Limited is partnering with the state government. The company also patterned with us during the COVID-19 pandemic era,” he said.

Also speaking, the executive secretary, Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Hajia Nusirat Elelu, said that parasites like worms are major cause of malnutrition in children.

“To prevent worms affecting our children and other ailments it is advisable to deworm every six months for healthy living,” she said.

In his speech, the marketing manager, Mr Watson Olojo, said that the company is one of the indigenous manufacturers of intravenous fluid, “and not only in Nigeria but on Africa's west coast. This event is meant to mark our 40th anniversary and the deworming programme is one of our corporate social responsibility activities.”