122million Nigerians suffering from river blindness, elephantiasis, other NTDs

Published by

2 years ago

No fewer than 122million Nigerians are suffering from River blindness, Elephantiasis and 13 other neglected tropical diseases.

River blindness (onchocerciasis), River blindness (lymphatic filariasis) are endemic in states of Southern Nigeria, especially among dwellers in rural areas, low-income earners, slums, and shanties.

Meanwhile, trachoma is endemic in the Northern part of the country.

National Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Nse Akpan made this disclosure in Ibadan, on Monday, during the flag off of the Accelerating Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis in Nigeria project, with Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM) as a project partner.

The project to eliminate NTDs is to be implemented in Oyo, Ogun, Bayelsa, and Rivers which were identified as needing the most urgent intervention and with gaps that have persisted owing to a lack of needed partners and support.

Akpan said: “From the word, neglected, the issue is that most times, people live with these diseases without taking cognizance of it.

“From our record, we have been able to realize that about 122million Nigerians are suffering from neglected tropical diseases.

“Lymphatic Filariasis is endemic in the Southern part of the country likewise Onchocerciasis, while in the Northern part of Nigeria, we have trachoma. So, a greater number of Nigerians have these diseases in the country.

“We have about 15 neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria and if 122million Nigerians have these diseases, you can guess the percentage of people that have the disease in Ogun State, Oyo State and in these four states that have been selected.

“The four states are having a high burden of Onchocerciasis (River blindness) and Lymphatic Filariasis, popularly called Elephantiasis.

“They have been battling with the disease for a long time, not having a partner or strong intervention from the government and we have an organization called Christoffel Blinden Mission International (CBM) joining us in this county to support us to work towards the elimination of these diseases.

“Sanitation becomes an issue because these diseases are diseases of the poor. We have seen it more in rural areas than in urban centres, and those that are usually affected are the low-income earners, the downtrodden, the poor, and those who happen to live in slums and shanties. We want them to stop open defecation. The community also has a role.”

“We pray for the elimination of these diseases in less than 10 years. About 10 years ago, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a project that we should work towards eliminating neglected tropical diseases in our country.

“We have been following this roadmap. Nigeria has been working towards the elimination of these diseases. In Ogun State, we have eight years remaining. If Nigeria cannot work towards the elimination of these diseases, it means we have failed the country. So, we are working hard.”

Declaring that guinea worm, which is one of the NTDs, has been eliminated in Nigeria, Akpan said the Nigerian government remained on course to meet the target of elimination of NTDs by the year 2023.

“We succeeded in eliminating Guinea Worm in 2020. So we no longer have guinea worm in Nigeria. We are conducting surveillance to be sure. Presently, we don’t have cases of guinea work being reported.”

Giving his remarks, Director, NTDs Initiative, Dr Babar Qureshi said the CBM worked with the federal ministry of health and state ministries of health to eliminate River blindness and Lymphatic Filariasis so as to stop them from consistently constituting a public health problem.

Bemoaning the challenge faced by sufferers of NTDs, Qureshi said the CBM is committed to preventing Lymphatic Filariasis because of the disability sufferers face, adding that it was also concerned about rehabilitation, and management of those with such disability.

Speaking at the event, Chairperson Oyo State Advisory Committee on Neglected Tropical Diseases (OYSACON), Professor Oyedunni Arulogun bemoaned the pervasiveness of misconceptions about the causative factors of some of the neglected tropical diseases.

She said the committee is keen on increasing public awareness about NTDs while adding that the advocacy will also be targeted at persons living with disabilities.

Representatives of the four select state governments lamented that they had been orphaned for many years, pointing out that the intervention by the NTD and CBM will go a long way in helping them eradicate NTDs in their respective states.

Oyo State was represented by Executive Secretary, State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Muideen Olatunji; Bayelsa by the Director of public health in the state, Mr Assayomo Ebikabowei; Dr Chuks Alozie represented Rivers State while Ogun State was represented by the Director of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Dr Festus Soyinka.

Consultant, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme, Mr Emmanuel Orebiyi stressed that maintenance of good sanitation and hygiene is a key way to manage NTDs.

Some of the neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria are Onchocerciasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, Schistosomiasis, Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis, Trachoma, Onchocerciasis (River blindness), trachoma, soil-transmitted helminths, Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis), schistosomiasis, Snakebite Envenoming, Rabies, Buruli Ulcer, Leprosy, Yaws, Leishmaniasis, Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT).

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE