Adequate funding of NTDs activities by Govts will eliminate the diseases- FCT NTDs Coordinator
By Peter Usman/:
The Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs unit of the public health department, Health and Human Services Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, has said that adequate funding of NTDs activities by the government, NGOs and good spirited Nigerians would go along way to eradicate the NTDs in Nigeria.
The Unit Coordinator, Mrs. Ogundipe Eunice Bosede, made this observation in Abuja at a press conference organised in commemoration of the World Negleted Tropical Diseases Day, NTDs.
Mrs. Bosede asserted that high level community mobilization, intensive health education, mass campaigns by health workers and National Orientation Agency, NOA would also help to eliminate the diseases.
She averred that provisions of basic social and economic infrastructures for the masses since it is a disease associated with poverty would really support the health workers in the fight against the NTDs in the country.
According to her, more inter-sectoral collaboration with other government parastatals, pressure groups, associations and as well as creation of awareness on NTDs by the media need to be intensified.
The Coordinator, who revealed that NTDs threaten more than 1.7 billion people living in the poorest and most marginalised communities globally, said one out of five people on the planet are affected by NTDs.
Recall that in 2020, out of the six Area Councils in FCT, Gwagwalada has the highest infection cases, hence the residence were enjoined to take drugs as prescribed by the specialists to avoid spreading of the disease.
She said, “NTDs are highly prevalent and widely distributed in all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and Nigeria is ranked the most endemic country with NTDs in Africa”
Speaking on the significant of the World NTDs day, she averred that the day offers an opportunity to mobilise greater attention, action and investment on priority issues particularly in the countries and communities most directly affected.
“This year, 2021 is the year the World Health Organisation, WHO will launch NTDs Roadmap 2030 with ambitous new goals to lead community members into the next decade of collective action. Therefore, January 30 is a very important day in the year 2021 “the coordinator stated.
On the prevention and control of NTDs in the country, Bosede advised that the need to promote personal and environmental hygiene, embark on health education and community mobilization, provision of drugs annually and administration among others cannot be underestimated.
She said, “Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs comprise a group of tropical infections. They are especially common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. These diseases are caused by a variety of pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa and helminthes.”
