Maternal
& child health

IRD’s Deworming Program supports governments to reduce the burden of soil-transmitted helminth infections among school-age children through evidence-based, large-scale interventions. Grounded in national prevalence data and aligned with World Health Organization guidance, the program combines epidemiological surveys, mass drug administration, and technical assistance to enable safe, targeted, and cost-effective delivery.

What distinguishes the program is its systems-level orchestration. Effective deworming at scale requires coordinated action across Ministries of Health, Education, and Planning & Development, alongside provincial and district authorities who oversee schools, logistics, training, and monitoring. IRD helps align these actors around a shared operational plan — ensuring that policy, financing, supply chains, teacher training, and community mobilization move in sync.

By embedding deworming within government systems and strengthening cross-departmental ownership, IRD not only delivers treatment at scale but also catalyzes institutional capacity for sustained, equitable impact.