No fewer than 122 million people in the country are at risk of getting Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs), Chukwuma Anyaike who is in charge of the disease’s eradication programme said at a dialogue on Thursday in Ibadan.

Mr. Anyaike said that NTDs are a group of 20 disease conditions that are common in tropical or subtropical regions and are closely associated with poverty, poor sanitation, lack of water sources, substandard housing conditions and deficient health care access.

Some of the diseases include Lymphatic Filariasis ( Elephantiasis), Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH), Onchocerciasis (River blindness), Trachoma (Granular Conjuctivitis) and Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia).

“The diseases are called neglected because they tend to affect the world’s poorest and receives less attention than other diseases,” Mr. Anyaike explained. “It is estimated that 122 million people in Nigeria are affected or at risk of getting NTDs. Of the number, 20 percent are children of preschool age, 28 percent are school age children and 52 percent are adults.”

The top health ministry official said NTDs have great impact on economic growth and should be tackled properly in order to reduce poverty in the country.

“Sustainable economic development cannot occur without addressing NTDs because we need to have a country free of NTDs,” he said. “The country needs to reduce the morbidity and mortality of the diseases to the barest minimum.”

On some of the strategies to tackle NTDs, Mr. Anyaike said they should include mass administration of medicines , innovation and intensified disease management, integrated vector management as well as improved water, sanitation and hygiene.

The NTDs National Coordinator also emphasised the urgent need for the government to strengthen ownership, advocacy and partnership.

“The challenges of the diseases are poor funding, lack of information while some people have wrong ideas about the disease and dirty environment.

“There should be enhanced planning for results resources, mobilisation and financial sustainability of national NTDs programme,’’ Mr. Anyaike said.