Sightsavers Nigeria has engaged traditional, community and religious leaders to eradicate trachoma and other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) from the Yola community in the Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The organisation opted for a stakeholders’ engagement meeting to put an end to trachoma and other NTDs in the area.

The theme of the programme was ‘Promoting Healthy Practices and Strengthening Community Engagement for Facial Cleanliness and Environmental Improvement (F&E).’’

Speaking during the sensitisation exercise tagged ‘Sanitation and Hygiene Awareness and Sensitisation Meeting’ held in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, the Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, Joy Shu’aibu, observed that stakeholders’ collaborative effort was a pathway to eradicating the preventable diseases.

The country director, who was represented by Teyil Wamyil-Mshelia, country coordinator, trachoma, Sightsavers, said the organisation was also in collaboration with other non-governmental organisations to ensure the success of the ongoing mission.

She said, “We are happy our royal fathers, community and religious leaders, as well as representatives from the State Ministries of Environment, Education and Health, are here to deliberate on ways to put an end to trachoma and other neglected tropical diseases.”

The country director prayed that the deliberation would be fruitful and successful for the good of the Augie Local Government people, Kebbi and Nigeria as a whole.

Mr Shu’aibu appreciated the commitment and zeal shown by all the stakeholders towards achieving the set goals and objectives.

In his speech, the Council Chairman of the Augie Local Government Area, Yahaya Muhammad, appreciated Sightsavers for the ongoing programme to save Augie from trachoma and other neglected diseases.

The chairman expressed the commitment of his council to supporting the organisation to achieve its target of eradicating trachoma out of his community.

“I am assuring the Sightsavers that Augie Local Government Council will give all the necessary support and cooperation to eradicate trachoma and ensure that Augie becomes open defecation-free,” he stated.

Traditional institutions, community and religious leaders, Kebbi Government representatives and Sightsavers officials in a group photograph shortly after a stakeholder engagement meeting held in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

In a goodwill message, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Environment, Abubakar Ahmed, represented by Dantani Sarki, Chairman, Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation, observed that the ministry had a critical role to play in the eradication of trachoma and other neglected diseases.

Assuring that the ministry was ready to give all the necessary support to eradicating trachoma and other diseases from Augie, Mr Sarki stated that sanitation and hygiene were key to expunging every disease.

On his part, Muhammad Lawal-Gwandu from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) said the agency had been working in Augie for over three years to collectively end trachoma and neglected tropical diseases.

He assured the readiness of RUWASA to support the course of making Augie an open, dedication-free course.

Tonyi Adisa from UNICEF observed that neglected tropical diseases were more common among the poor, especially in the rural communities.

He assured that UNICEF would not fold its arms until Augie achieved the set goal of being open defecation-free.

The Imam of Yola village, Hafiz Abubakar, urged traditional rulers to use their respective offices to educate their wards on issues around sanitation and hygiene.

He pledged the commitment of the participating religious leaders to cascade the knowledge acquired to their followers by using different religious gatherings so that the message gets to the targeted audience.

In their various contributions, traditional institutions expressed readiness to cascade the knowledge acquired to their subjects, apart from continuous public enlightenment on the need for the people to embrace the culture of frequent hand washing.

The meeting, which deliberated on different aspects of sanitation and hygiene, suggested that the government should reintroduce environmental sanitation personnel (Duba Gari) to effectively tackle challenges associated with hygiene.

The meeting also stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment about sanitation and hygiene while suggesting the establishment of an environment and hygiene taskforce at local government levels with traditional rulers as members of the taskforce.

(NAN)