Dr Nicholas Baamlong, Plateau State Commissioner for Health, says the state government has integrated preventive measures against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), including schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths, into its school health programme.
Baamlong disclosed this on Friday in Jos while briefing journalists to commemorate the 2026 World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day.
According to him, the government is implementing key interventions such as the integration of preventive chemotherapy into the school health programme, alongside the strengthening of disease surveillance and reporting systems.
The commissioner said the state has also built the capacity of frontline health workers and aligned NTD control efforts with School Health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes as part of measures to prevent the diseases.
He noted that the inclusion of NTD interventions in the school health programme marked a significant milestone in domestic ownership and sustainability of NTD programmes in Plateau State.
Baamlong further announced that Governor Caleb Mutfwang had approved the procurement of anti-snake venom to improve the treatment of snakebite cases in the state.
However, he said sustaining the gains recorded would require continuous financing for preventive chemotherapy, logistics, and sustained investment in surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems.
He also called for intensified social and behavioral change communication, as well as strengthened cross-sectoral collaboration, particularly with the WASH and education sectors.
Baamlong noted that NTDs mostly affect people with limited access to potable water, sanitation, hygiene and basic healthcare services.
He commended development partners, including the Carter Center Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Health Development Support Programme (HANDS), for their support toward eliminating NTDs in the state.
The 2026 theme for World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is “Unite, Act, Eliminate NTDs towards Achievement of Universal Health Coverage and the SDGs.”
