Survey of iodine deficiency and intestinal parasitic infections in school-going children: Bie Province, Angola

摘要

ObjectiveTo obtain baseline pre-intervention prevalence levels of iodine deficiency and parasitic and helminth infections in school-going children in Bie Province, Angola.DesignA cross-sectional study conducted in randomly selected schools. The target population was children aged 6a€“10 years.SettingBie Province, Angola.SubjectsA total of 1029 children sampled, with 791 stool samples and 826 urine samples collected from twenty-four schools.ResultsWidespread severe and moderate deficiencies in iodine. Children in five schools were severely iodine deficient. All sampled schoolchildren were iodine deficient to a greater or lesser extent. In all, 80 % of all children across the twenty-four schools were infected with one or a combination of intestinal helminths and intestinal protozoa.ConclusionsThese findings have serious implications for the cognitive development of Angolan children, as well as for Angolaa€?s development in terms of productivity and economic potential. It is strongly recommended that the provincial and national Ministries of Health, in collaboration with international health agencies, immediately plan and implement a strategy to provide sufficient iodine through iodised oil capsules and iodised salt to the iodine-deficient population. National coalitions need to be strengthened among the government, partners and salt producers. It is also recommended that all the children in schools be de-wormed for multiple helminth species at least twice a year.