Tajudeen Uthman, chairman of the Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria, communication committee, has called for a renewed collaboration approach to eliminate neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria by 2030

The call was made during the commemoration of World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day. The day is celebrated every year on January 30.

It aligns with Nigeria’s National NTD Master Plan and Elimination Roadmap, which recognises NTD elimination as both a public health priority and a catalyst for national development.

Neglected tropical diseases remain a major challenge in Nigeria, disproportionately affecting rural, underserved and hard-to-reach communities, and contributing to poverty, poor educational outcomes and reduced productivity.

Mr Uthman restated the need for sustained domestic funding and decisive action by early 2026.

He said the theme strongly reflects Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to combat NTDs through coordinated, multisectoral approaches.

He noted that Nigeria’s progress against NTDs had been driven by collaboration among the federal and state ministries of health, local government authorities, research institutions, development partners, non-governmental organisations and community structures.

According to him, sustaining and accelerating gains will require stronger multisectoral coordination, increased domestic resource mobilisation and the integration of NTD interventions into primary healthcare and other development programmes.

He said the call to act underscores the importance of translating policies and plans into effective implementation, including scaling up preventive chemotherapy, strengthening disease surveillance and reporting, improving supply chain systems and addressing last-mile drug delivery challenges.

He added that priority must also be given to operational research, continuous capacity building for health workers and programme managers, and addressing emerging challenges such as insecurity and climate variability.

On the goal to eliminate, he said Nigeria remains committed to interrupting the transmission of priority NTDs through evidence-based, equitable and community-centred approaches.

He stressed that community engagement, ownership and trust are central to the national elimination strategy, noting that sustainable success cannot be achieved without informed and empowered communities.

He reaffirmed its alignment with Nigeria’s NTD roadmap, highlighting its role in supporting national efforts through research, advocacy, training and strategic communication.

He emphasised that effective communication plays a critical role in sustaining political will, improving public awareness and strengthening accountability in the fight against NTDs.

He called on governments at all levels, development partners, academia, civil society, the private sector and the media to recommit to Nigeria’s NTD elimination agenda.

(NAN)