Using Community-Based Volunteers to Reach Non-Enrolled School Aged Children Through Community-Directed Treatment of Schistosomiasis in School-Aged Children in Rural Northern Ghana

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminhtiasis occur throughout the developing world and are most prevalent in the poorest communitites. These worms have been linked to several nutritional and intellectual deficiencies in many endemic populations worldwide. Helminth control, though crucial has been neglected for varied reasons. Currently, interests towards the control of neglected diseases including schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths has been revived through many interventions including repeated chemotherapy to help improve public health outcomes and prevent long term morbidity. This will contribute to achieving several of the Millennium Development Goals at a favourable cost. A community-directed treatment of human schistosomiasis and STH in school-aged children in rural notrhern Ghana using praziquantel and albendazole is proposed. It is planned to test the hypothesis that community-based volunteers are non-inferior and more cost effective than rural school teachers at reaching school-aged children.