Politics
DELTA Government has called for increased awareness on the dangers of the prevalence of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the state and beyond. Mr Vincent Anighora, the state Coordinator, NTDs Elimination Programme, made the call in an interview with
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Asaba.
Anighora, who doubles as Coordinator of the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA),
said the state had regrettably recorded two deaths from such diseases.
NAN reports that NTDs are viral, parasitic and bacterial diseases that mainly affect the world’s poorest people.
The most common of such diseases are schistosomiasis, a disease caused by infection with freshwater parasitic
worms in certain tropical and subtropical countries and leprosy, a chronic, curable infectious disease mainly causing
skin lesions and nerve damage.
Some others are rabies; a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected dog, and river blindness,
a parasitic tropical disease that affects the skin and eyes.
The NTDs elimination programme coordinator, therefore, told NAN that two persons had been confirmed dead
from suspected rabies disease in Aboh community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of the state.
He explained that “health officials in the community reported to the agency that two persons have died, while
some others are undergoing local trearment following the wave of dog bites in the community.
“Just yesterday, we received a report from our field officers in Aboh community that there have been cases
of dog bite and that already two of the victims are dead, while others are undertaking treatment.
“The report also said that the villagers have started killing dogs following the development in a bid to check the incidence of dog bite.
“We will dispatch a team of experts to Aboh community to confirm the actual situation so as to know the next line of action”, Anioghora said.
He lamented the low level of awareness of the dangers associated with rabies and snake bite among residents under the NTDs, hence,
the non availability of drugs for the treatment of such disease.
According to him, apart from rabies and snake bite, there are over five other diseases that fall under the NTDs, of which public awareness in the state
has been below average.
The coordinator listed some of the diseases to include river blindness, Soil Transmitted Helminthes, Elephantiasis, Schistomiasis,
Thrypasonomiasis (Sleeping sickness), among others.
He said that “over the years, there has not been much public awareness about the health implications of these diseases. They are
seriously debilitating; they disfigure an infected individual and this is why urgent attention should be accorded NTDs.
“As we speak now, the state government through the DSPHCDA is doing a lot in terms of education and sensitisation on the need to avoid the causative organism.
The agency has been very proactive when it comes to response to cases of outbreak. Once we get a report of such, we move in with our personnel and attend to
victims.
“For instance, in September 2022, we had an outbreak of Schistomiasis diseases (blood-in-urine) in a community in same Ndokwa East.”
Anioghora said that the management of the DSPHCDA responded immediately with personnel and medicines, notably among them the
“Prazequentel”, and we were able to bring the situation under control.”On the latest report of suspected rabies in Aboh community, the state coordinator called for support from stakeholders in primary
health care and donor agencies.
He said “like I said earlier, rabies and snake bite have not been given prompt attention. We need urgent intervention to enable us
to buy anti-rabies drugs, which are not readily available now
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July 31, 2023 @ 17:14 GMT|
Tags: Mr Vincent Anighora
