As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that about 50 million persons in the country are at risk of NTDs infection yearly, with more than one million new cases still being detected yearly.
WHO’s head of mission and representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, stated this yesterday at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja to mark 2022 NTDs Day, themed: “Achieving health equity to end the neglect of poverty related diseases”.
He said health inequities triggered by COVID19 had undermined economic, societal and developmental progress, nothing that focusing on NTDs provides a step forward in addressing diseases of poverty.
Mulombo noted that stigma, discrimination and mental health are neglected consequences of disability, mainly from NTD, saying eliminating NTDs would ensure an inclusive and equitable response for everyone.
He expressed WHO’s commitment to continuing partnership with Federal Ministry of Health and other departments, partners and stakeholders working on NTDs through provision of technical support, and innovations towards the attainment of the set targets.
“WHO is also committed to facilitating the donation of all essential medicines for NTD as it has always done each year,” he said.
