Worm Treatment

Reducing Disease Burden

The most abundant of the intestinal worms infecting humans are whipworms, the large human roundworm, and hookworms. These worms exhibit a direct life cycle (passed directly from human to human without the intervention of an intermediate host) with the infective stages being found primarily in soil, which are swallowed or burrow through the skin to infect the next host.

While worm infections cause many fewer deaths than malaria, they have profound and insidious effects on the health and nutritional status of billions of people worldwide. Global statistics demonstrate that they have a crippling effect on society.

Beginning January 2008, with support from the World Health Organization, BHI initiated a universal worm control program. Prior to implementation of the treatment program, over 50% of the population of Bawa and Nloh were infected with worms. By 2010, that was reduced to 25%. We re-evaluated the effectiveness of our worm control program in December 2017 and were very pleased with the rates of infections recorded (See figure below.) Our worm control program has nearly eliminated moderate and severe infections that cause morbidity and potential death. We are making great progress.  Your continued Donations will help us maintain this program!