…Calls for stakeholders collaborative actions against diseases
By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo state government has called on residents who may be battling with symptoms of Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) such as leprosy, guinea worm, lymphatic filariasis, dengue fever, rabies, and scabies, amongst others, to visit various health centers for medical intervention.
According to the government, NTDs, if not properly treated could lead to disability and stigmatization, hence the need for serious awareness on the diseases from all critical stakeholders.
Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi who made the call at a Press Conference to commemorate the 2024 World NTD Day, said most of the medication for the treatment and control of the diseases have been provided free of charge by the state, in collaboration with development partners.
Neglected Tropical Diseases are group of diseases that are largely found in tropical areas of the world where they thrive among people living in impoverished communities and in areas where access to clean water sanitation and essential medicine is scarce.
Citing examples, she said “Onchocerciasis (river blindness) if not treated could lead to loss of sight, while Schistosomiasis (SCH) and Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH) can result in anaemia.
“The long-term effects of some NTDs can be catastrophic, which can lead to loss of life. The devastating effects of NTDs on our people cannot be over emphasized, hence the need for all to come together to combat the diseases.”
While speaking on efforts of the state government towards eradicating NTDs in the state, the Dr. Oluwaserimi said, “Our action is to raise the profile of NTDs, the suffering they cause and to gather support towards their control, elimination and eradication, in-line with programmatic targets set out in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2023 NTD road map which includes decreasing the number of people requiring intervention for NTDs by 90 percent.”
She further noted that the state government through innovation and intensified disease management, preventive chemotherapy by distributing anthelmintic medicines, mass drug administration of praziquantel to school aged children, vector control through mass spraying of insecticides, veterinary public health, provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene, among others.
She explained that in line with the commitment of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to provide qualitative health care, the Ministry of Health would continue to intensify effort through mass awareness and administration of medication, as well as partner with the Ministry of Education for School-Based Deworming (SBD) treatment, amongst other interventions to control and eradicate the diseases.
She said “This year, the world NTD Day theme seeks to continue the momentum from previous years and carry through the thread of taking NTDs out of isolation, identifying opportunities for integrated action on NTDs and the continued call for investment in NTDs.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Muideen Olatunji maintained that the state government has been playing a central role in implementing policies, allocating resources and coordinating efforts to control and eliminate the diseases in the state.
Olatunji further stressed that in 2023 alone, Oyo state government released over N27million to support NTDs program activities in the state, including drug distribution, public awareness campaigns among other activities.
He said, “The NTD unit of Oyo state Primary Health Care Board is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out all the control strategies through safe and cost-effective preventive chemotherapy (PCT) in collaboration with the willing NGOs.”
Dr. Olatunji in his words listed four NTDs that are endemic in the state as soil Transmitted Helminthes, Schistosomiasis, Lymphatic Filariasis and Onchocerciasis.
On his part, the Commissioner for Education, represented by Mrs Nton Gladys, pledged to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to ensure pupils in the state do not suffer from stunted growth, deworming challenges and other NTDs, for the state to have a healthy future.
The weeklong 2024 World NTD Day celebration has the theme: Unite, Act and Eliminate, is to hold in partnership with UNICEF, Evidence Action, Christ Blind Mission among other development partners.
