PHOTOS: LAGOS TAKES PROACTIVE MEASURES AGAINST NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
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….As Government, Stakeholders Commemorate Y2024 World NTD Day with Awareness Walk
The Lagos State Ministry of Health, in a resolute effort to combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), has collaborated with stakeholders and non-governmental organizations to mark Y2024 World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day with a purposeful awareness walk around the State Government Secretariat and Alausa Communities.
Along with representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health, the event was organized by Mrs. Modupe Dawodu, the coordinator for the NTD program in Lagos State. Among the partner NGOs that actively participated were Maryanne Edeh from Evidence Action and Dr. Francesca Olamiju from Mission to Save the Helpless (MITOSATH).
The awareness walk functioned as a forum to inform the public about the prevalence of NTDs and the pressing need for coordinated action to address the disparities that fuel the disease. It was a visible manifestation of the group’s commitment to eradicating NTDs.
During the Y2024 World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day Awareness Walk, Lagos State’s NTD Coordinator, Mrs. Modupe Dawodu, gave an exclusive interview and thanked Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering support in the state’s fight against NTDs.
In her capacity as the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Dawodu emphasized the importance of eradicating neglected tropical diseases like schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, trachoma, and soil-transmitted helminths. She emphasized the need for coordinated action, pointing out that schistosomiasis affects 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs), and lymphatic filariasis is the most prevalent in Lagos State.
“Notably, soil-transmitted helminths pose a serious challenge in three LGAs: Ibeju Lekki, Amuwo Odofin, and Ojo. To address this, the state implements a biannual deworming programme for school-age children, five to 14 years old, in these high-risk areas, she said.
Mrs. Dawodu noted that the free medicine distributed during the mass administration of medicines campaign for the elimination of NTDs, supplied by the World Health Organisation (WHO) through the Federal Ministry of Health, focuses on maintaining the health and concentration of school-age children. She urged residents to embrace this initiative, stressing its non-political nature and emphasising its role in safeguarding the well-being of children in the community.
“The message is clear: accept the free medicine, keep the children healthy, and ensure a worm-free future for Lagos State,” she stated.
Speaking in the same vein, Senior Programme Manager at Evidence Action, Mary Anne Edeh calls for sustained efforts to end Neglected Tropical Diseases. Standing in for her Country Director, Pharmacist Tope Ogunnubi, Edeh, while addressing the global movement’s theme, “Unite, Act, and Eliminate NTDs,” she emphasized the need for concerted action to eradicate NTDs globally and in Nigeria.
Given that neglected tropical illnesses affect over a billion people worldwide, Edeh emphasized the critical role that the Lagos State Government—particularly the Ministry of Health—plays in providing consistent funding, stating the benefits of investing in NTDs and pointing out that sustainable finance is an example of success in the fields of global health and development. “It not only keeps kids in school, but it also improves their performance, setting them up for a more successful adulthood,” the speaker said.
Edeh expressed appreciation for the continued collaboration with the Lagos State Government, especially through the Ministries of Education and Health, and he expressed confidence in the determination to eradicate NTDs from Lagos State and throughout Nigeria.
She commended the Ministry of Health’s seriousness in addressing the issue and called for increased investments to strengthen the fight against neglected tropical diseases.
Executive Director of MITOSATH, Dr. Francesca Olamiju, also addressed the pressing issue of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) during the Y2024 World NTD Day Awareness Walk, shedding light on the profound impact these conditions have on marginalised communities.
Highlighting the preventable and treatable nature of NTDs, Dr. Olamiju emphasised their intricate ties to poverty and ecological systems, causing devastating health, social, and economic consequences. She pointed out the neglect these diseases face despite their significant global implications, leading to the declaration of January 30th as World NTD Day by the 74th World Health Assembly.
Speaking about Nigeria’s significant burden, accounting for 25% of Africa’s NTD cases, Dr. Olamiju underscored the collaborative efforts of the Federal Government, NGO partners, and the World Health Organisation to eliminate all NTDs in the country by 2030.
Discussing Lagos State’s achievements, she commended the state for its proactive measures. Notably, Lagos received awards for implementing Schistosomiasis ward-level treatment and conducting confirmatory mapping for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) in six LGAs in 2023. LF treatment reached over 3.6 million individuals, with therapeutic coverage of 75% and geographic coverage of 100%.
Dr. Olamiju, while urging continued efforts and adherence to the WHO NTD elimination roadmap in the pursuit of a disease-free future for Lagos State and beyond, announced the commencement of Schistosomiasis treatment in seven LGAs in alignment with this year’s theme: “Unite, Act, and Eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases.”
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