The government will this year de-worm over six million school children aged between 6-14 years.
The Ministries of Health and Education will distribute drugs worth Sh1 billion to treat children who are both in schools and out, against intestinal worms and bilharzia.
The campaign will be carried out in two phases, where the first phase will commence, February 28, 2017 in 19 Counties.
They include: Bomet, Bungoma, Homabay, Kakamega, Kericho, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Narok, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Vihiga, Garissa, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni and Wajir Counties.
The second phase will kick off, May, in eight Counties which include: Busia, Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mombasa, Siaya, Taita Taveta and Tana River.
According to the Head of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Unit Dr Sultani Matendechero, the team is already on the ground and is conducting advocacy and sensitisation campaigns.
"Teachers will be trained in the exercise which is open to pre-school children,'' he said.
Dr Matendechero indicated children who are able to go for the drugs will not be sent back, since there will be provision for them but their guardians will have to take them to schools where the exercise will be conducted.
"The campaign aims at improving the performance of school going children and school attendance and reduce general worm load in the community since school-age children form approximately 25 per cent of the population. The campaign will therefore go a long way in helping Kenya progress towards meeting the global targets for elimination of worms,'' he said.