Operation Blessing International (OBI) plans to treat 9.5 million children throughout South America with new anti-parasitic medication by the end of this year.
Every year, millions of children throughout the Third World suffer from a host of various internal parasites – such as pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms, and hookworms – that attack the immune system of young children, depriving them of nutrition, stunting their growth, and retarding their cognitive abilities.
Though parasitic illnesses are currently among the top 10 causes of death among children under five, a single pill, however, can make a difference.
Albendazol, a cheap and cost effective drug, can easily treat and prevent parasitic illnesses, and with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO), numerous governments and churches, OBI will help oversee the distribution of drugs and treatment to children throughout South America.
"We are so excited about how our anti-parasite program is expanding, and what a profound impact it has on entire developing countries,” OBI President Bill Horan announced during the program’s inauguration in Honduras earlier this month.
“It's hard to believe that a single pill costing less than a nickel can completely change and brighten the life of a child… This program can elevate the health and life style of entire countries,” he continued.
“It's clear that healthy, energetic kids have a much better chance of breaking the cycle of poverty than kids that are sick all the time. OBI will continue to aggressively expand this program into as many countries as possible.”
Since 2003, OBI has treated over 15 million children through its anti-parasite distribution programs, and achieved a landmark in 2005 and 2006 when it successfully helped treat the entire school age population of Guatemala.
Founded in 1978 by M.G. “Pat” Robertson, OBI is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the United States, and continually strives “to demonstrate God’s love by alleviating human need and suffering in the United States and around the world.”
In 2007, OBI was ranked among the top 50 most powerful and influential non-profit charities by The NonProfit Times.
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It's nice to see that the self proclaimed multi millioniare Robertson, who has made him and his family very wealthy on the back of his not for profit enterprises like the family channel and his "blood for diamond" business with african thugs, is doing something for someone else, Oh yeah he loves his $500,000 race horse he bought last year. And you wonder why the republican state attorney general of Virginia had to step in to help him when he was being investiagted for all of this.
Is this an ongoing program that will last over a period of time, say several years? As a missionary nurse in South America, I know this program will only be effective over a long period of time. I have seen first hand what parasite infections can do to children and if the treatment isn't repeated at least twice a year, it won't work. I am hoping it is something that will be ongoing or it will be a big waste of money.