The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the auspices of the Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) has officially flagged off 2021 Mass Administration Medicine (MAM) for the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases(NTDs) across six area councils in the Territory.
The treatment which is in partnership with Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM) focused on onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis which is the two of fifteen prioritised NTDs in Nigeria is prevalent in areas that have poor sanitation, inadequate or lack of water sources and substandard housing conditions.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Secretary of HHSS, Dr Muhammed Kawu, represented by the FCT State Epidemiologist, Dr Doris John, stated that the control strategy employed by the government to prevent these diseases, reduce its spread is tagged Mass Administration Medicines (MAM).
“It is usually carried out once a year with the treatment of community members using Ivermectin and Albendazole tablets,” She added.
John further explained that the logic behind the manual treatment is to ameliorate the problem associated with the diseases.
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She said the total number of community members treated for onchocerciasis disease in the year 2019 was 785,161 while 504,877 community members received treatment for lymphatic filariasis disease.
“The FCT NTDs unit is covering 559 communities in the Territory for the treatment of Oncho/LF and other NTDs,” She said.
She further explained that the total number of Community Directed Distributors (CDD) trained so far in the FCT for MAM is 2,200 and there was no treatment in the year 2020 due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his address, the NTDs Technical Specialist, Christoffel Bliden Mission (CBM), Joseph Kumbur, said the support of CBM over time leading to the eradication of NTDs in the rural communities.
Kumbur also said with the support of development partners, CBM has carried out 60 hydrolysis surgeries and it is gratifying to see those who are with morbidity are relieved at the end of the surgery.
Kumbur urged the community members to get treated before the disease gets to an irreversible stage that has no cure or treatment.
