19 October 2017 – The World Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of Health and Population launched the third national soil transmitted helminthes deworming mass drug administration campaign at primary schools all over Egypt, in collaboration with UNICEF, to eliminate intestinal worms. This third campaign is being conducted from 15 to 26 October 2017 in all primary schools in 27 governorates following its initiation in the school year 2015–2016. 

Field teams from the Ministry convened the work on Sunday 15 October visiting primary schools in different governorates to give a single tablet of mebendazole to primary school students during class. This field work will continue for two weeks.   

WHO in Egypt will continue strengthening partnership with national health sector counterparts and other partners to promote public health programmes, including activities related to prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases.

The WHO country office in Egypt has donated more than 14 million mebendazole tablets to the Ministry of Health and Population to be distributed to the primary school students as part of the ongoing support for the health sector in Egypt and improve the future health of all Egyptian children.