Borno State to tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Representative of the Commissioner of Health, Dr Goni Abba at the briefing
Borno State Government says it has adopted a mechanisms to contain a Tropical Neglected Diseases.
Commissioner of Health, Professor Mohammed Arad Alhaji stated this at an event organised in collaboration with Helen Keller International to commemorate World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day held at Emergency Operations Centre Maiduguri.
Represented by the Director Public Health of the Ministry, Dr Goni Abba, the Commissioner explained that the World Health Organization (W.H.O) set aside January 30 annually to create awareness and harness support to tackle a group of twenty (20) Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
He said NTDs mostly affects impoverished Communities and cause devastating health, social and economic consequences to millions of People especially Women and Children which results in disability, stigmatization, increase health care spending among families and even death.
The Commissioner added that, Epidemiological Statistics have shown that four out of the twenty diseases are prevalent in Borno State which include Trachoma, Schistosomiasis, Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Flariasis.
Professor Mohammed Arad Alhaji noted that with the support of the development Partners, a total of 2, 274, 364 treatment of NTDs were achieved in 2022 alone despite security challenges bedeviling the State.
He said in addition to the successful mapping of the seventeen (17) local government areas to determine Trachoma prevalence, and commence its interventions, arrangements are underway to map the remaining ten (10) local government areas as well as to begin interventions including Trachoma surgeries.
The Commissioner further added that over the years, Hellen Keller International has been technically and financially supporting Borno State to implement State NTDs master plan with the view to control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases.
He appealed to all to priorities environmental and personal hygiene to avert the disease and added that his ministry together with the Federal Ministry of Health, Borno State Ministry of Education, RUWASSA, BOSEPA and other development partners have been collaborating to reduce the burden and eliminate these diseases in the State Through Surveys, awareness creation, training and capacity building of health Workers, Teachers and Volunteers as well as mass drug administration.
