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"TSINELAS PARA SA BATANG MANDALEÑO"
which, from Tagalog, translates to “Slippers for the Children of Mandaluyong” was bare’s pilot event, and was organized in collaboration with the Barangay Nutrition Action Officers (BNAOs) of the City of Mandaluyong.
“Tsinelas para sa Batang Mandaleno” saw the deworming of 50 kids from Barangay Pag-Asa in Mandaluyong through the administration of albendazole tablets . Apart from deworming, however, the event also included an educational segment on the importance of deworming, as well as overall sanitation and hygiene, led by Bernadette Resus, RN from Barangay Pag-Asa’s Health Care Center.
Photo taken at Mandaluyong City Hall of a several attendees of the event
Information regarding STH presented by Nurse Resus
This is the official presentation provided by the Philippines’ DOH to local Barangay Health Centers
Program provided during the event
Bakit Tsinelas? (Why the Slippers?)
+ An Intro to STH
Following the educational session, each child received a new pair of slippers to wear as protection against helminth-contaminated soil and other surfaces, as direct skin contact with such is among the primary practices that result in the contraction of STH.
In the Philippines, there are currently 3 types of helminth infections: roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm)
Ancylostoma duodenale
(hookworm)
Trichuris trichiura
(whipworm)
via BiologyWise
via The Washington Post
via Happy Science
While roundworms and whipworms are acquired by ingestion of helminth larvae through improper hygiene and sanitation, hookworms are able to penetrate human skin in even the areas in which it is the thickest such as the foot. Of the three classifications of helminths, hookworms, also known as bloodsuckers, are often considered the most severe as, unlike
Photo of slippers, taken at Mandaluyong City Hall
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the others, they possess teeth and have the capacity to penetrate into the small intestines of their hosts and extract the nutrients from the food that they eat. Given this characteristic, hookworms are especially dangerous in children in low-income areas that already suffer from malnutrition. Prior to infection, their malnourished bodies alone are unable to obtain enough nutrients to support regular daily activities and bodily function, therefore, adding nutrient and blood-sucking worms to their system tremendously degrades their quality of health.
Apart from the consequences of malnourishment and stunted physical growth, STH is also a leading factor in stunted mental growth of children in the Philippines, for the lack of sufficient nutrients impairs cognitive development in growing children. Additionally, data from the Philippines collected by Dr. Vicente Belizario, Dean of University of the Philippines’ School of Public Health, proves that there is a very strong relationship between an individual’s school performance and degree of STH infection.
“Deworming is not going to end the worm problem in the Philippines or elsewhere. But personal protection by use of foot gear does wonders.”
- Dr. Vicente Belizario, Dean of the UP School of Public Health
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