ASABA/Nigeria: Stakeholders in the prevention and management of Neglected Tropical Diseases NTDs in Delta State, have called for a concerted effort to address the scourge affecting many in poor communities.
They made the affirmation in Asaba, the state capital, during a weeklong celebration of World NTDs Day, with the theme: End the Neglect of NTDs.
NTD Day is celebrated to highlight the danger by a group of communicable diseases such as River blindness, Intestinal worms, Leprosy and others prevalent in tropical environments.
The Chairman Delta State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Isioma Okobah, observed the diseases are common in communities with poor sanitation and lack of portable water.
Dr. Okobah called for a concerted effort to eradicate tropical diseases, noting the state government was training health workers and community supervisors on measures to prevent and eliminate NTDs.
“(We are) making sure that our health workers are going out to these communities that have been neglected; ensuring that they get these free medications.”
Similarly, the Executive Director of the agency Dr. Jude Winful-Orieke, decried the assumption by many that NTD outbreaks have become normal occurrence, while calling on residents to join the fight to eradicate the menace.
He noted that “They are called neglected because people feel the diseases are not very active. It is not true. You can be more productive if you are healthy.”
A local health executive from Oshimili South, Dr. Charles Eboga, said the authorities have adopted measures such as distribution of preventive drugs to treat tropical diseases in the locality.
Dr. Eboga stated:
“We are making use of our community drug distributors in the LGA’s. They go house to house, door to door.”
Highpoint of the occasion was the administration of doses for the treatment of NTDs to residents and presentation of Awards to NTD Ambassadors in the state.
