Federal Govt To Eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases By 2027

The federal government intends to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Nigeria by 2027, surpassing the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2030 goal.

Dr. Nicholas Olobio, Deputy Director and Programme Manager at the National Trachoma Elimination Programme under the Federal Ministry of Health, shared this objective during a two-day National Trachoma Quarterly Review event in Abuja on August 31, 2023.

Olobio highlighted that the WHO Roadmap aims to eradicate NTDs, including trachoma, by 2030. He expressed optimism about Nigeria’s progress and believed that the country could eliminate these diseases by 2027.

He mentioned that Nigeria had made significant strides, reducing the number of Nigerians at risk of trachoma-induced blindness from 38 million to about 3.7 million, aided by the support of partners. This progress, Olobio emphasized, was facilitated through collaborations between states and Local Government Areas, which implemented strategies and guidelines to combat NTDs.

Olobio cited several states, including Adamawa, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kano, and Katsina, as leaders in NTD elimination efforts. He underscored the importance of addressing water, sanitation, hygiene, and behavior to complement medical treatments for NTDs. Open defecation was singled out as a practice that needed to change to improve sanitation practices.

Additionally, Prof. Caleb Mpyet, Chairman of the National Trachoma Taskforce and Sightsavers Global Trachoma Mapping Epidemiologist, indicated that the meeting would assess the implementation of the SAFE strategy for trachoma in each state, as recommended by the WHO. He highlighted the progress of states like Benue and Bauchi and acknowledged challenges in states like Borno and Yobe due to security concerns.

Regarding Nigeria’s 2027 target for NTD elimination, Mpyet acknowledged potential setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which might delay achieving the goal until 2029 if not met by 2027.

NTDs comprise 20 conditions primarily prevalent in tropical regions, affecting over a billion people living in impoverished communities. These diseases are considered “neglected” due to their limited focus on the global health agenda, lack of funding, and association with stigma. Nigeria carries a significant burden of Africa’s NTDs, making it one of the world’s most endemic countries for these debilitating conditions.

Nigeria launched a roadmap in 2021 to achieve global targets in preventing, controlling, eliminating, and eradicating various NTDs and disease groups by 2030. The roadmap emphasizes integrated platforms for intervention delivery and strategies that address multiple diseases concurrently.