The Kwara Government says it will soon start distribution of mass administration of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) medicines across the 16 local government areas of the state.
Dr Oluwatosin Fakayode, the state Director, Public Health, announced the plan on Wednesday in Ilorin.
Fakayode said this during the opening of a two-day Macro Planning Meeting/Training on the distribution of the Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic filariasis.
Lymphatic filariasis is spread by infected mosquitoes. Their bites deposit a parasite that travels to the lymph system.
The disease is spread by repeated bites from infected black flies.
The programme is jointly organised by the Kwara Ministry of Health and Sight Davers, an international charity organisation working to prevent avoidable blindness, support equality for people with disabilities and advocate for change.
Fakayode said that the programme was aimed at re-orientating all Heads of Health Departments from the 16 local government areas of the state.
The director, who was represented by the state NTDs Coordinator, Mrs Christiana Bamgboye, said the meeting would guide the stakeholders for the distribution of the medicines.
He urged all the participants to pay rapt attention to the programme and contribute their quota for the state to be free from endemic.
Mr Gabriel Afolayan, the NTDs Officer, Federal Ministry of Health, explained that the training/macro planning meeting was an annual programme organised to train all health HODs on preparedness to reduce to bearest minimum the scourge of NTDs.
He described mass administration of NTDs as necessary in eradication of NTDs in the country.
According to him, Kwara has recorded a huge achievement in the treatment of Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic filariasis.
In his good will message, Mr Olalekan Ajayi, Sightsavers, Programme Manager, explained that the organisation aimed to promote and protect people’s health, wellbeing and humañ right.
Olalekan explained that the goal of the project was to improve the quality of life, reduce morbidity and disability due to four NTDs in endemic state.
He also urged the participants to work together as a team for the state to be free from endemic.
Earlier in her welcome address, Mrs Christiana Bamgboye, the state NTDs Coordinator, explained that the objectives of the meeting was to strengthen ownership of the programme at grassroots and community levels.
She pointed out that four local government areas in the state were endemic to Onchocerciasis, while 11 were endemic to lymphatic filariasis.
“The administration of school drugs will be administered to pupils of five to 14 years of age and efforts has also been put in place to further sensitise people on the eradication and prevention of these diseases,” she said. (NAN)
