Ndi Imo | Imo marks 2022 World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day
Imo marks 2022 World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day
Imo state has joined the rest of the world to Mark the 2022 World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day.
The Hon. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Prosper-Ohayagha Success, while speaking to newsmen in his office, disclosed that the state government has vowed to use every arsenal in its disposal to ensure total eradication of these diseases in the state.
Dr. Prosper-Ohayagha, described Neglected Tropical Diseases ( NTDs) as a diverse group of communicable diseases that are common in the tropics and low income parts of Africa and Asia which affects about one billion people world wide.
He informed that January 30th of every year is declared by Global Health Leaders as World NTDs Day, adding that this year's celebration is a milestone event with the theme"Achieving Health Equity to End the Neglect of Poverty Related Diseases".
The Health Boss stated that they are prevalent in tropical environments especially in communities with poor sanitation, lack of portable water and deficient health care access.
He said they are neglected because they generally afflict the world's poorest and historically have not received as much attention as other diseases.
According to him, "NTDs cause disability, stigmatization, school and work absenteeism, low wage earnings, increased health care spending, family impoverishment, low national productivity, long term suffering and even death".
Dr. Prosper-Ohayagha noted that about 4 million persons in the 27 Local Government Areas of the state are at risk of one or more of these diseases pointing out that the government through the Ministry in partnership with Federal Ministry Health and The Carter Center had since 1998, engaged in the war against these diseases.
He informed that in 2021, Governor Uzodinma, in conjunction with the Carter Center, distributed over 3.5 millon tablets of Ivermectin and 1.5 million tablets of Albendazole to eligible persons, 1.3 million persons were treated of Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis out of the estimated 1.5 million targeted for treatment while almost 400,000 school children were treated of soil transmitted Helminthes out of the estimated 430,000 targeted for treatment.
He noted that four major Neglected Tropical Diseases are receiving public health attention in the state after being proved to be endemic through baseline survey, they include, Onchocerciasis also known as River Blindness, which is endemic in 18 local government areas, Lymphatic Filariasis or Elephantiasis,in all the 27 local government areas, Schistosomiasis,8 local government areas and Soil transmitted Helminthes is endemic in all 27 local government areas except Aboh Mbaise and Owerri North local government areas.
The Commissioner further stated that plans are underway to treat 3.9 million persons for Lymphatic Filariasis and Onchocerciasis with about 4.9 million tablets of Albendazole and 12 million tablets of Ivermectin while 1.6 million children of school age will be treated for Soil transmitted Helminthes with about 1.8 million tablets of Albendazole.
He therefore called on Imolites to support the government in the fight against this and to embark on best practices such as, wearing of protective cover to farm, avoid open deafecation and urination among others.
Adding his voice, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Austin Okeji, lauded Governor Uzodinma, the Commissioner and The Carter Center for their efforts in the fight against the diseases and appealed to them to sustain the tempo.
