In celebration of the Hygiene Promotion and Deworming Week organized by UNICEF, some 900,000 children between ages 6 and 11 received deworming tablets in the Andijan, Ferghana and Namangan provinces of the eastern Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan.

During the week, a variety of health promotion activities took place that emphasized the link between proper hand-washing and the prevention of worms and other diseases. In the Ferghana Province, children were enterained by Masqaraboz Tozavoy’, or Mr. Clean, a clown that spoke to the children with hygiene messages in a fun and educational way. He asked them to take his messages home to their families, friends and neighbours. “I would like you to be hand-washing heroes in your school and at home,” he told them.

Below is a video from event in Uzbekistan:

Besides hygiene promotion, activities focused on tackling worm infestations. In 2011, a study jointly conducted by UNICEF and WHO in the Ferghana valley revealed that up to 75 per cent of children living in the region had worms. UNICEF’s support of the week-long intensive campaign allowed for the procurement of 1,000,000 mebendazole tablets, an effective de-worming medicines, as well as hygiene promotion materials for schools.

 

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