By IJEOMA UKAZU
The National Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs Dr. Nsebong Akpan has raised alarm over the negative impact caused by NTDs on maternal, newborn and child health indices in Nigeria.
He made this revelation at an ongoing 2-day media dialogue on NTDs in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, organised by Child Rights Bureau Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Akpan stated that, the disease has impacted significantly on maternal, newborn, and child health giving rise to poor health among women from anaemia due to Soil Transmitted Helminthes, STH infection.
Other impact he said includes: “Causes poor nutritional status, especially in children; Poor educational outcomes; Reduced physical and cognitive development -children cannot attend school or absorb lessons. Low productivity -Infected adults cannot work effectively -adults may stay home to care for infected family members.
“20 percent are pre-school age children, 28 percent school age children (five and 14 years) and 52 percent are adults (15years and above)”.
Akpan added that NTDs also have
negative economic and social development on individuals noting that, sustained economic development cannot occur without addressing these diseases.
He said the Nigerian population at risk of NTDs includes: “119.5 million people are suffering from Lymphatic Filariasis; 51.4 million have Onchocerciasis, while 28.8 million school age children and 20.5 million preschool age children for Soil Transmitted Helminthes.
Others are: “26.8 million people are suffering from Trachoma, while 23.8 million school age are suffering from Schistosomiasis”.
The National Coordinator of NTDs said that Nigeria is battling with the management of 15 out of the 20 identified NTDs.
Akpan charge the media to create more awareness and sensitisation of these diseases to improve demand creation, participation as well as ownership of the NTDs campaign.
Speaking on Schistosomiasis, Deputy Director, Programme Manager, National Schistosomiasis/ Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis Elimination Programme, Dr. Obiageli Nebe said over 200 million people globally are infected, with over 700 million living at risk with infection and over 90 percent of these people live in Sub-Saharan Africa .
Nebe said it is a disease of low socio-economic status affecting the poorest communities and most neglected vulnerable people, adding that, infants, children are especially prone to infection due to their less developed immune system as worm infestation are passed through contaminated food, water or soil.
She added that, “Schistosomiasis is also known as Bilharzia or snail fever. It is a parasitic diseases caused by tiny blood dwelling worm. The infection occurs when individuals particularly children come into contact with contaminated water”.
Earlier in his presentation, UNICEF, Water Sanitation And Hygiene, WASH Specialist Mr. Bioye Ogunjobi lamented over lack of political will, low awareness as hindrance to the elimination of NTDs in Nigeria.
Ogunjobi explained that the Nigerian NTDs programmes were mainly sponsored by partners, calling on the government to be more involved in the elimination process of these diseases.
While giving his presentation earlier on the objectives and outcomes of the workshop, UNICEF Communication Specialist, Dr.Geoffrey Njoku stated that the media dialogue is targeted to: “Up the ante on NTDs; change the slant; narrative as well as report on the issues, actions and impact.
Njoku added that the outcome is to set agenda for NTDs intervention in Nigeria, saturation of media landscape and seek more funding for the diseases.
He commended the Nigerian media for the intensed advocacy on NTDs while urging journalists not to relent in their effort to indulge the government on funding for Neglected Tropical Diseases in Nigeria.