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The Bayelsa State government has commenced an awareness campaign on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and their impact on communities.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Pabara Nweton Igwelle, who stated this during the World NTD Day with the theme: Act Now, Act Together, Invest in Neglected Tropical Diseases, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital said the state government is committed to ensuring it steps up efforts to control and eliminate the diseases.
According to him, NTDs are a group of parasitic and bacterial infections that affect over 1 billion people worldwide, with the majority living in low- and middle-income countries.
He said these diseases are known as neglected tropical diseases because they affect the poorest and most marginalized populations and receive little attention from the global health community.
In Bayelsa state, NTDs such as lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminthiases are prevalent, causing significant morbidity and mortality among affected populations.
He disclosed that to address this public health problem “in our state, we have implemented a comprehensive NTD control program that includes mass drug administration, vector control, health education, and community mobilization, adding that “a strong surveillance system to monitor the prevalence of NTDs and evaluate the effectiveness of our interventions,” was established.
While insisting that mass drug administration is the primary strategy used to control and eliminate NTDs, Igwelle stressed that health education and community mobilization are also crucial components of the state government NTD control programme.
He noted that the efforts of the state government notwithstanding, there are still steps to be taken to achieve the desired goal in the state.
Igwelle said: “We work closely with communities to raise awareness about NTDs and their impact and to educate people about how to prevent and treat these diseases. We also involve community members in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of our interventions, to ensure that they are relevant and appropriate for the local context.
“We are currently collaborating with UNICEF, WHO and recently ChristoffelBlinden Mission (CBM) in the implementation of the aforementioned programmes
“Despite these efforts, much more needs to be done to achieve the goal of controlling, eliminating, and eradicating NTDs in Bayelsa State and in Nigeria as a whole. We need better collaboration with national and international partners to scale up our efforts and reach those who are most at risk.”
The NTD coordinator in Bayelsa State, Dr Churchill Tabowei, who led awareness talks at the Agofure Motor Park, Tombia Market, Ekeki motor park and Swali market said the state government is seeking partnerships and researchers to help the state.
According to him, there are still many areas where vacuums exist that need intervention in the state with the state government willing to provide coordination.
