Legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, on Monday urged relevant government authorities to tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the country without delay.

He made the call, just as the University made history with eight-storey Administrative Building, called “The White Rock”, was listed among 100 landmark buildings around the world that were lit for 2022 NTDs Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the all-white, eight-storey building, which was lit in Orange/Purple colours, was the only one selected for that purpose in Nigeria, according to Babalola.

A statement in Ado-Ekiti by the Director, Corporate Affairs of the University, Mr Tunde Olofintila, said the ABUAD’s “White Rock Building” had joined important buildings around the world that were lit up for the NTDs Day.

“The annual global event, which began in 2020 is celebrated annually on January 30.

“The aim is to highlight the global community’s commitment to eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) that have been causing unimaginable suffering and death in tropical countries.

“This year’s celebration is in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), supported by other organisations all over the world which are keenly and genuinely interested in the eradication of NTDs.

“As the WHO is planning to eradicate the prevalence of the 20 preventable NTDs by 2030, Nigeria is today noted to be battling with 14 of those 20 NTDs,” Babalola was quoted as saying.

Continuing, he said “All states in Nigeria, including Ekiti, are endemic to at least four of those NTDs.

“These include Schistosomiasis, Onchocerciasis (River Blindness), Lymphatic Filariasis and Leprosy, all of which have been in existence all over the ages.

“There are seven different categories of preventable NTDs, namely Helminth NTDs, Protozoan NTDs, Funga lNTDs, Viral NTDs, Bacterial NTDs, Non-infectious diseases or conditions as well as Ectoparasitic NTDs,” he said.

NAN further reports that the lighting was witnessed by the leadership of the University and students, who turned out in large number.

An impressed Babalola, commended and congratulated ABUAD’s Community Engagement Social Health Research Group (CESHR), which had been supporting the elimination of NTDs in its community, particularly in Ekiti, through mass advocacy, awareness campaigns and drug administration.

Corroborating him, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Smaranda Olarinde, said ABUAD had always been supporting in extending healthcare services to Nigerians and promised that the institution would not relent.