Government claims bilharzia drugs safe

HARARE – Despite the deaths of three children two weeks ago the Zanu PF government insists the drugs for bilharzia and intestinal worms being administered under its mass immunization campaign are safe. 

Only last month a weekly paper warned that the drug, Praziquantel (Biltriucide) which has since been administered to school children, had been condemned in other countries.

Some 11,5 million praziquantel tablets were donated to the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The ministry also received 5,5 million tablets of Albendazole enough to reach over 4,7 million children in 63 rural districts and two cities.

The three children from Budiriro, Kambuzuma and Redcliff — aged between five and eight — started vomiting and developed diarrhoea the same day that they had taken the medication, raising fears the drugs caused their death.

But addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza, said preliminary investigations showed that one of the children died of diarrhoea and vomiting while the other one died of salmonella poisoning.

Dr Chimedza said investigations into the causes of the deaths would continue and a complete report was expected within the next three weeks.

According to the internet drug index, RxList, before one takes praziquantel, he should inform a doctor if has kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, or a history of seizures or epilepsy.

“Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old,” it says.

“Praziquantel should be taken with a meal. Do not crush or chew the praziquantel tablet. Swallow the pill whole. Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.”

Wikipedia also says praziquantel “is an anthelmintic effective against flatworms and it is not licensed for use in humans in the UK.”

It is however available as a veterinary drug.

Parents in some parts of the country have reportedly withdrawn their children from the immunisation exercise which is targeting about 4,7 million children countrywide.

“I can’t afford to take a risk and, therefore, I have withdrawn that (indemnity) letter that I signed and stopped my child from being immunised,” a parent from Norton who refused to be identified said.

Deputy Minister Dr Chimedza however, said that the side effects are expected from the drugs.

Because of the enormous benefits of the two drugs praziquantel and albendazole in treating bilharzia and intestinal worms, Government would continue with the mass drug administration as planned in years to come, he said.