By Correspondent in Minna
Niger state is totally free from Guinea Worm, one of the dangerous but neglected tropical diseases, according to the Commissioner for .
for Health and Hospital Services, Dr Muhammad Makusidi.
The Reporters recalls that the last local government where the disease was recorded was in Paikoro but the state government said it was very proactive in preventing its resurgence.
Addressing journalists in Minna, as part of event marking the 2021 World Neglected Tropical Diseases’ Day on Sunday in Minna,Makusidi said the cheering was that the state” is no more on the list of those with traces of the disease.”
He said the eradication of the disease was also made possible with the provision of potable water by the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello- led administration across the 25 local government areas of the state.
“The government is still committed to providing portable water for Nigerlites to combat the other neglected tropical diseases,”he stressed.
Health experts explain that guinea worm is caused by the parasitic worm called dracunculus medinensis, the largest of the tissue parasite affecting humans.
They add that the parasite migrates through the victims’ subcutaneous tissues, causing severe pain, it eventually emerges from the feet most of the times causing painful oedema, a blister and an ulcer, accompanied by fever, nausea and vomiting.
The Commissioner,however,told journalists that there was ” the endemicity of five neglected tropical diseases spreading across all the 25 local government areas.”
He further explained, “Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) is prevalent in 19 local government areas, onchocerciasis (river blindness) is prevalent in 21 local government areas while schistosomiasis (soil-transmitted helminths) is prevalent in 25 local government areas and trachoma (eyelid infection) is in two local government areas of the state.”
Makunsidi said that activities conducted in the state to reduce the prevalence of the neglected tropical diseases include: advocacy, training and retraining of health workers and basic education school teachers.
“The state Ministry of Health has however intensified community mobilization and sensitization, mass administration of medicines, monitoring and supervision, data collection and report dissemination to relevant stakeholders.
“As at today, 21 local government councils affected with onchocerciasis endemic have been qualified for epidemiological rapid diagnostic test evaluation, while six out of 19 local government areas with elephantiasis have passed preventive chemotherapy for neglected tropical diseases, having reduced the prevalence.
Earlier, the Director, Public Health, Dr Idris Ibrahim, said guyepidemiological survey of the neglected tropical diseases showed that about 50 per cent of people in the affected local government areas suffered from the diseases.
“The statistics of the neglected, tropical diseases in Niger state according to percentage, shows that 50 per cent of people are suffering from elephantiasis in 19 local government areas’.
“Presently, 45 per cent of people are suffering from onchocerciasis in 21 local government areas while 60 per cent of people in 25 local government areas are suffering from schistosomiasis”.
“One of the partners collaborating with the state government in eradicating neglected tropical diseases in Niger state, Mitosath, said that there had been great improvement in the measures taken to eradicate the NTDs, especially trachoma which has been reduced to 0.02 per cent in two local government area in the state.
The Programme Officer for the programme, Mr. Abaku Ayodele Francis, said the NTDs control programme had made tremendous progress in the campaign to reduce NTDs prevalence in the state, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.