Nigeria has second highest burden of NTDs in the world – Commissioner

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma K. Ahmed has disclosed that Nigeria is the second country in the world with the highest burden of Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs).
It added that Nigeria contributes the highest burden in Africa with more than 120 million of its people living at risk of one neglected tropical disease or the other.
She disclosed this at a press conference to commemorate the 2024 World Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs) at the Health Ministry in Kaduna yesterday.
The Commissioner further stated that over five million people in the state are at risk of River Blindness, lymphatic filariasis, bilharziasis, and intestinal worms.
Hajiya Ahmad, however, explained that the state government has been collaborating and working with all relevant stakeholders, particularly Non-Governmental Development Organizations such as SIGHTSAVERS to tackle the menace of NTDs in the State.
According to her, currently, the Kaduna State government is charting a new course of community engagement to tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases for sustainable development.
She explained that, over the years, the country has been battling seriously to eliminate tropical diseases by taking various measures such as conducting Mass Administration of Medicines, Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention, Integrated Vector Control, Sound Sanitation, and Hygiene practices with a safe water supply, among others.
She said, “Every 30th January has been set aside by the World Health Organization (WHO) to sensitize all Global communities on the burden of NTDs which affects more than 1 billion people across the globe with about 149 countries faced with these diseases and Africa bearing about half of the global burden.”