Zamfara State government offered free Bilharziasis treatment to 1,110,543 school-aged children and free surgery to more than 200 patients with Hydrocele in 2024.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Nafisa Maradun, disclosed this yesterday in Gusau while briefing journalists on the sixth World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, NTDs, celebration.
The annual event was organised in collaboration with Sightsavers, an international non-governmental organisation.
“I am delighted to address you today on yet another historic day marked globally by the World Health Organisation, WHO, as a call to action on NTDs.
“I wish to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to our partners, Sightsavers for supporting the government and people of Zamfara in the fight against and control of NTDs,” Maradun said.
The commissioner noted that in the last distribution of Praziquantel tablets among school-aged children for the treatment and prevention of Bilharziasis (bloody urine), 1,110,543 children were treated across the state.
“We also wish to acknowledge the tremendous support from our partners, especially Sightsavers, who provided free surgical intervention to over 200 patients with Hydrocele in our collective efforts to eliminate Elephantiasis.
“In addition to these achievements, 78,000 people were treated for soil-transmitted Helminths in Bakura Local Government Area,” the commissioner said.
Maradun added that the ministry would ensure the prompt release of funds for NTDs activities as a sign of commitment to the programme’s sustainability in the fight against diseases in the state.
“I am glad that tremendous achievements have been made regarding NTDs over the years in Zamfara and Nigeria as a whole, but that will not stop us from making further efforts to eliminate them.
“I want to assure the people of Zamfara that Governor Dauda Lawal-led administration is committed to improving the health indices in the state through system strengthening.
“NTDs are a group of parasitic infections that are the major causes of preventable blindness and disability.
“Government, under Governor Lawal in collaboration with Sightsavers has committed adequate resources to the fight against NTDs.
“With the support of our partners, such as Sightsavers, we have achieved the interruption of Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) transmission in six local government areas that were previously endemic,” she said.
According to the commissioner, the local government areas include Anka, Bukkuyum, Bungudu, Maru, Tsafe and Zurmi.
“Similarly, trachoma-endemic local government areas like Bungudu, Kaura Namoda, Maradun, Tsafe, and Zurmi are now under control and no longer require preventive drug treatment.
“The Lymphatic Filariasis, which was endemic in all 14 local government areas is now under control.
“All the 14 local government areas have attained five or more effective therapeutic coverage during the mass administration of medicine and are now due for the Pre-Transmission Assessment Survey,” Maradun said.
She said, “What remains for the state to control is Schistosomiasis (Bilharziasis).
“I am glad that tremendous achievements have been made regarding NTDs over the years in Zamfara and Nigeria as a whole, but that will not stop us from making further efforts to eliminate them.” (NAN)
