The Osun Governor.

The Osun State Government on Friday said it de-wormed no fewer than 252,793 public primary school pupils in 30 Local Government Areas, and Ife East Area Office.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola said this at the launching of de-worming of elementary school pupils in Osogbo.

Represented by Titilayo Tomori, the Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Aregbesola said that 252,793 had benefited from the exercise.

He commended Chi Pharmaceuticals Limited, Lagos, for collaborating with the state government to ensure the success of the exercise. He said that the intestinal worms had negative impact on education as it hinders child development and school attendance.

The governor noted that the joy of every parent was to see their wards healthy and diseases- free life. He promised that the health of the people would remain a top priority to his administration.

Earlier, Toyin Ayoola, the Director, Osun State Elementary School Feeding (O’Meal), lauded the company for the kind gesture of supplying de-worming tablets to the state.

Ms. Ayoola said one of the most important aspects of the objectives of the Aregbesola’s administration was to ensure good health for the children and expectant mothers. She said that the state government had provided one free meal per day for all school children from primary one to four and employed 3, 000 food vendors for the exercise.

Also, the state Chairman, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Lowo Adebiyi, urged parents to use the opportunity to free their children of worms which could obstruct their growth.

Similarly, Sherifat Aregbesola, the wife of the governor, said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that the nutrients enjoyed by school children were not consumed by the worms.

The governor’s wife also urged proprietors of private schools to allow children in their schools to benefit from the programme every three months to ensure sound health.

One of the pupils, who benefited from the programme, Misitura Salaam, thanked the governor for the free education, feeding, health, uniform, among others.

(NAN)