The Director-General, Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, Joachim Ajakaiye, has urged the Federal Government and policymakers to fund the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases in Nigeria.

He made the call during a public lecture to commemorate the World NTDs Day organised by the Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter.

Mr Ajakaiye explained that the funding would help NTIR and other stakeholders working to fight NTDs to create more awareness and jointly fight the menace.

The director-general said that NTDs, also called ‘the disease of the poor,’ mostly affects those living in the rural areas.

Mr Ajakaiye, however, urged,” They should not be left for the poor alone but they should be tackled collectively.”

He appealed that security should be provided to workers working to sensitise and treat people with such diseases to end all NTDs by 2030.

Mr Ajakaiye said, “The burning issues concerning neglected tropical diseases is that they have totally been abandoned; we have over 20 types of these diseases all over the world. It has brought about a big global burden with Nigeria being the second highest burden of the diseases.”

Similarly, the PPSN Chairman, Kaduna State chapter, Prof.Ishaya Karo, stated that the public lecture is with the theme, “Ask, Act and Invest on NTDs Elimination.’’

Mr Karo said that the event was aimed at sensitising the public to NTDs and the ways to fight them.

He urged that research institutes and parasitologists must work together to fight these diseases, calling on the stakeholders to show more commitment.

Speaking, the state Coordinator, NTDs, Zainab Haruna, stated that some of the diseases affecting the residents of the state were schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, known as river blindness, and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, known as hookworm infection.

She added that the state ministry of health in partnership with Sightsavers had been treating schistosomiasis and river blindness in endemic local government areas.  

She stated, “We are treating schistosomiasis this February in 22 local government areas except Kaduna North and we are hoping for more support from government The diseases are there especially in rural environment where there are no proper water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.’’

The programme was supported by Sightsavers, in collaboration with the state ministry of health, NITR and other stakeholders.

 (NAN)