From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Kaduna State Commissioner for health, Umma Ahmed, has disclosed over five million people are at the risk of contacting tropical diseases such as river blindness and elephantiasis, among others.
Daily Sun gathered that the population of Kaduna State stands at over 10 million people.
Addressing a press conference, yesterday, to mark 2024 World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day, the commissioner said every January 30 has been set aside by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to, “sensitise all global communities on the burden of NTDs which affects more than one billion people across the globe with about 149 countries faced with these diseases and Africa bearing about half of the global burden.”
She said: “Nigeria is the country with the second highest burden of NTDs in the world and also contributes the highest burden in Africa with more than 120 million of its people living at the risk of one neglected tropical disease or the other.”
Speaking about risk of NTDs in Kaduna State, the commissioner said: “In Kaduna State, 5,970,722 people are at risk of river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, bilharziasis, and intestinal worms.
“Over the years, the country has been battling seriously to eliminate most of these tropical diseases using the following approaches; preventive chemotherapy by conducting Mass Administration of Medicines, Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention, Integrated Vector Control, Sound Sanitation, Hygiene practices with safe water supply.
“Currently, we are charting a new course of community engagement for tackling NTDs for sustainability and ownership.
“Kaduna State has been collaborating and working with relevant stakeholders particularly non-governmental development organisations such as SIGHTSAVERS in long-standing support to tackle the menace of NTDs in Kaduna State.
“I am particularly glad to report that substantial progress has been made over the decade as evidenced by the fact that we have been able to interrupt the transmission of onchocerciasis in 16 counculs and elimination of trachoma in Kaduna State according to the Trachoma Prevalence Survey Report of 2023.”