ANGELES CITY – A “war on worms” is being waged in the upland barangays of Nabuclod and Mawacat in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
At the forefront of the struggle for the health of the indigenous people’s communities is a public-private coalition led by the of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Study Group of the National Institutes of Health of the University of the Philippines.
At the Balitaan at Talakayan media forum of the Central Luzon Media Association -Pampanga Chapter held Feb. 29 at Teresa’s Café here, NTD convenor Dr. Vicente Y. Belizario Jr. discussed the study group’s collaboration with the Municipality of Floridablanca and San Miguel Corp.-San Fernando Brewery to combat the prevalence of worm infestation among the IPs in the two barangays of Floridablanca.
Belizario cited results of their study in 2022 that only 2% of households and schools in Barangay Mawacat and 0.5% in Barangay Nabuclod have access to safe water supply and basic sanitation facilities, which he said make for a favorable environment for worm infestation.
Based on a 2023 group study in Barangay Nabuclod and Sitio Camachile, Dr. Lorenzo Maria De Guzman, a research associate of the NTD Study Group, reported a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in children.
He said that 8 out of 10 Aeta children in the community were affected by STH, “specifically roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm.”
Belizario noted the “grave impact” of worm infestation on both the physical and mental health of the affected children. Additionally, lack of access to safe water was cited as a key issue contributing to poor oral health and malnutrition.
Closely working with the Floridablanca municipal health office headed by Dr. Felipe Cuyugan Jr., the group has provided treatment with albendazole for common worm infections in the IP children.
Health promotion and education initiatives in IP schools have also been launched with the help of nursing students from Holy Angel University (HAU).
Dr. Jose Henry Lansangan, a professor of Community Health Nursing at HAU, underscored the different health education projects carried out by his students in the community. These initiatives include house-to-house campaigns, the creation of educational materials for the Aetas to be displayed in the community, and the production of a music video promoting the significance of good hygienic practices.
Francis Sison, communications manager of San Miguel Brewery, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be involved in such important programs.
Belizario Jr. stressed the importance of raising awareness about NTDs and commended the efforts of CLMA-Pampanga Chapter in spreading information about their initiatives.
Among the objectives of his office are:
“To propose and implement research projects and/or programs on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in collaboration with stakeholders such as Department of Health, Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, and local government units.
To disseminate the results of various studies conducted on NTDs.
To provide technical support to stakeholders on prevention and control of NTDs.”
