The Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, says Nigeria accounts for 25 percent of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Africa with is the highest disease burden.
El-Imam stated this at a news conference organised to commemorate the 2024 World NTDs Day, on Tuesday in Ilorin.
The theme of the day is: “Unite to act towards elimination of NTDs.”
The commissioner who quoted baseline surveys, said that Kwara was endemic to NTDs with many inhabitants at risk.
She described NTDs as medically varied group of disease caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasitic worms (Helminths).
According to her, the diseases are predominantly found in tropical areas in Sub-saharan Africa, Asia and parts of America.
“They include river blindness, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis, Soil Transmitted Helminths, Leprosy, snake bite and rabies.
“NTDs pose major roadblocks to national progress and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UCH).
“They are also impediments to poverty alleviation, economic growth and social development,” she said.
El-Imam said the state Ministry of Health had put in efforts to eradicate the diseases through preventive chemotherapy and mass administration of medicines.
Others, she said, are active case search and case management, community engagement through advocacy and sensitisation, support monitoring and supervision.
The commissioner pointed out that in 2023, the Kwara NTDs programme made progress in its effort to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate NTDs by training 2,525 school teachers.
The training was for the deworming of 569,289 school aged children in the state.
“There is capacity building for 929 Community Health Workers and 4,710 Community Directed Distributors at local government area for the treatment of 2,839,657 people in the state with Ivermectin, to prevent blindness,” she said.
El-Imam said the spread of filariasis had been successfully interrupted in 10 LGAs of the state, while the state had also passed the first stage of assessment for the elimination of river blindness.
Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said the day was significant to consider the severe effects of NTDs on the wellbeing and livelihoods of billions around the globe.
She noted that the disease was a constant reminder of the inequalities in the world today, while calling for collective efforts to help mobilise resources needed to eradicate them.
In his submission, the Programme Officer, Sightsavers, Mr Olalekan Ajayi appealed to stakeholders to unite against the disease.
He added that this was achievable if stakeholders put in more efforts towards eradication of the disease by 2030.
NAN
