The Public Health Department of the Kwara State Ministry of Health in collaboration with Sightsavers joined the rest of the world to mark the 2nd World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, at a stakeholders meeting held on Monday to mark the 2nd World NTDs day, emphasized that the NTDs Day like other specially dedicated days are used as opportunities to sensitize the public and draw attention of policy makers to thematic issues around such days.
He said the day is about issues bedevilling the health of all citizens especially as it concerns some group of neglected diseases in the tropics.
Dr. Ayinla in his address to mark the day which is usually commemorated on January 30 of every year, said about 2 million people living in the state were at the risk of contracting one or two of the over 20 various forms of health challenges that have been grouped as NTDs.
He added that ‘the feat attained in healthcare for the past one year in spite of Covid-19, is also worthy of being showcased on occasions like this’.
The Permanent Secretary stated that the state government’s health intervention through free surgical services to all Local Government Areas has been able to address both the backlog and large pool of patients suffering from hydrocoele, which is often a consequence of one of the NTDs called filariasis.
According to him, the state government under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had supported over 777 cases, while one of the distinguished Senators representing the Kwara North Senatorial District, Umar Sadiq had also supported additional 200 cases in Kwara North, where access to health care is being strategically planned for an upscale.
He added that government had also provided anti- snake venom for free administration to patients who had snake bite.
Earlier, the Programme Manager for NTDs in the State, Dr. Peter Oyinloye at a question and answer session, said the NTDs unit appreciated the support of the State Government and its major partners, especially the Sightsavers for making his unit to realise its dream of touching lives and alleviating challenges of the people.
He disclosed that the unit is working assiduously to ensure mass distribution of river blindness medication in the state for children of 5-14years of age.
Also speaking, the representative of the Sightsavers, Olalekan Ajayi expressed delight in working as a partner with the NTDs unit of the Public health department.
Ajayi described the state government’s funding of free surgical intervention as a means of taking ownership of the Kwara/Patners initiatives, expressing hope that Kwara State will be NTDs free by year 2030.
