From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has disclosed that it carried out 150 free hydrocele surgeries in rural communities across the eight local government areas of the state.
The Director of Public Health, Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, Dr Jones Stow, stated this during the celebration of the 2025 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day with the theme: Unite, Act and Eliminate NTDs.
Stow noted that hydrocele is one of the biggest NTDs prevalent in Bayelsa State, which the Public Health is actively working to eliminate.
According to him out of the eight local government areas in the state, Ekeremor is the only local government area with no signs of NTDs.
He expressed confidence that with the success recorded with the elimination of NTDs in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, the same feat could be achieved in the other local government areas.
Stow commended the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Prof Seiyefa Brisibe, for his steadfast commitment to public health since his assumption of office.
He also commended the Chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers Council and Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdon, HRM Bubaraye Dakolo, for using his role as the Rural Ambassador for NTDs in the state to advocate for the elimination of all NTDs.
Stow spoke further: “Right now, the world is talking more about funds for HIV Aids and malaria, etc. Therefore, a lot of other diseases are not enjoying the focus, which is why they are called Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs. In Bayelsa, we also have some of them. When we did our research, it was only Ekeremor that did not have.
“Through our efforts, we have been able to eliminate these diseases in Kolokuma/Opokuma and because of that feat, we believe we can do the same in other local government areas. Going forward, we want to see that we join the rest of the world to eliminate all NTDs by 2023.
“So, we are sustaining our advocacy platforms and stepping up our surveillance for every case and have a system to eliminate it.
“In Bayelsa, one of the biggest NTDs we have seen is hydrocele and we have done 150 free hydrocele surgeries in the last two years.’’
Prof Brisibe while restating the commitment of the state government to reinvigorating public health in the state commended the Christian Blind Mission, CBM, and other non-governmental organisations working with the state government to eliminate NTDs in the state.
King Dakolo who had earlier received the NTDs team at the secretariat of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers Council expressed his commitment to work with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, and the Parasitological Society of Nigeria to create awareness about NTDs and help to eliminate them.