The commissioner for health and human services, Dr Joseph Ngbea has asserted that about five million people in Benue State are at the risk of contracting Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) if urgent steps are not taken.
Ngbea, who disclosed this during the commemoration of the World Neglected Tropical Disease Day 2023 with the theme; ‘Act Now, Act Together Invest In Neglected Tropical Diseases’ described NTDs as diseases of the marginalized.
The occasion was organized by the Benue State ministry of Health and Human Service Neglected Tropical Disease Control and Elimination Programme in conjunction with SightSavers to create awareness and enlighten the people on the dangers of the diseases to enable citizens to take precautions.
According to him, “NTDs are referred to as group of debilitating diseases affecting impoverished populations that lack access to hygiene, sanitation and healthcare, causes are attributed to various pathogens of bacteria, viruses fungi and toxins in origin, leading to stigmatization, social exclusion, disabilities and even death”
He lamented that over 1.7 billion persons are affected in over 149 countries, stating that NTDs ranks among the top four most devastating communicable diseases alongside diarrhea disease, HIV/Aids infection and lower respiratory tract infection”
Giving a breakdown of local government areas that are affected by the NTDs, the commissioner informed that all the 23 local governments in Benue State are affected with Onchocerciasis or Liver blindness, 16 LGs are affected with Lymphatic filariasis or Elephantiasis, 18 LGs affected with Soil transmitted Helminths (Intestinal Worms), 22 LGs affected with Schistosomiasis (Bilharziasis) with three local government areas suffering from Blinding Trachoma.
He enumerated the success achieved so far in addressing the issue of NTDs to includes elimination of blinding Trachoma, which is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in the three affected local government areas of Gwer- West, Gwer- East and Ukum and the reclassification of Benue State’s endemicity from ongoing transmission for Onchocerciasis to suspected interruption of transmission of Onchocerciasis by the National Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee (NOEC).
Other achievements are free Hydrocelectomy to 763 Hydrocele cases, provision of free management kits and training of 388 lymphedema or Elephantiasis cases to affected persons and caregivers, free surgery to 44 patients suffering from Trachoma Trichiasis (TT) as well as the constitution and inauguration of State NTDs steering committee among other achievements.
Earlier, the chairman state technical advisory committee on NTDs, Prof. Elizabeth Amuta said that the state is grateful to the partners particularly SigthSavers for their support and called for more partnership from other sponsors.
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