Edo Government says it will leverage the existing collaboration with stakeholders in the health ecosystem to eliminate the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the state.
Executive Secretary of Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Omosigho Izedonmwen, said this in a statement issued on Monday in Benin.
According to Izedonmwen, NTDs, which refer to a diverse group of parasitic and bacterial diseases, cause significant morbidity and mortality in more than 1 billion people globally, including Nigeria.
He said that the diseases, with the highest burden in Sub-Saharan Africa, usually result in deformed legs, blindness, and social isolation, among sufferers.
The executive secretary, however, expressed happiness that the Gov. Godwin Obaseki-led administration, in collaboration with Carter Centre and other partners, was keeping up with the global target of eliminating NTDs in the state.
“The state is doing this through Mass Administration of Medicines (MAM), such as Ivermectin to combat River Blindness and a combination of Ivermectin and Abendazole to combat Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis).
“ This has contributed to a massive decrease in NTDs in the state,’’ he said.
Izedonmwen urged decision-makers, community and religious leaders, the media, school administrators, parents, and residents to join the state government in investing in NTDs in the state.
“Act together and invest in NTDs to safeguard the lives of Edo people,’’ he said, adding that this would result in the elimination of the diseases in the state.
