Running in bare feet and splashing in pools of rainwater are typical playtime activities for children. But in areas with poor sanitation, the business of being children can be dangerous.
Worldwide, more than 600 million school-age children are infected by or at high risk of infection from soil-transmitted helminths (STH), or intestinal worms. Children who are infected become malnourished, listless, have difficulty learning, and have a hard time growing up to become healthy, productive adults.
To help the children affected by parasites, Johnson & Johnson produces VERMOX™ (mebendazole), which kills intestinal worms, and donates it to countries with a high prevalence of STH infections. Children Without Worms (CWW), which began in 2006 as a partnership between the Task Force for Global Health, Johnson & Johnson and the World Health Organization, collaborates with global health partners and ministries of health to administer Vermox™ using a school-based approach. CWW also provides technical support to countries receiving the donation and promotes water, sanitation and hygiene education to break the cycle of re-infection and ensure the donation has the greatest impact possible.
Johnson & Johnson has committed to providing up to 200 million doses of VERMOX™ for deworming treatments each year through 2020.
Related: From WHA54.19 to WHA66.12: Helping Children Survive and Thrive