…165m urgently need preventive treatment
The Federal Ministry of Health revealed that 200 million Nigerians are burdened with the risk of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), with about 165 million people seeking preventive treatment.
This came shortly after an advocacy meeting held with the 36 States Commissioners for Health and FCT Minister of Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, on Wednesday.
Dr. Salako stressed the urgent need for coordinated action to combat NTDs, underscoring it as a pressing challenge in Nigeria that is linked to poverty, poor sanitation, and unsafe water.
In line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) NTD Roadmap 2021–2030 global commitment and the Kigali Declaration, Nigeria has joined in the fight against NTDs, focusing on accountability, integration, and resource mobilisation.
According to the WHO, NTDs are a diverse group of conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they thrive among people living in impoverished communities, leaving devastating health, social, and economic consequences.
This health condition can be caused by a variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins.
The National Coordinator for NTDs at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Fatai Oyediran, revealed that two out of every three Nigerians have at least one of the NTDs.
Meanwhile, since the collaboration, it has been learnt that progress has been made in some significant areas, such as the Eradication of Guinea Worm (2013) and the reduction in trachoma infection prevalence by 84%.
Other areas include the elimination of onchocerciasis in the Plateau and Nasarawa States and over 39.5 million people no longer requiring lymphatic filariasis treatment.
Moving forward in the call to action plan, the 36 state Commissioners for Health and the FCT Minister for Health agreed on state-level funding for better healthcare services; partnerships from donors, private sectors, and foreign partners, including accessing locally manufactured essential pharmaceuticals through the Unlock Healthcare Value Chain Initiative of FG.
In a unified voice, the health leaders pledge to combat NTDs affecting significant millions of Nigerians as they push for prioritising NTDs and ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind.
