By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Ministry Health haa said that11 local government areas of the state are affected by Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).
Speaking to newsmen in Uyo on Monday to intimate the public on World NTD Day, and the prevalence of these diseases, the State Coordinator of NTD, Dr Aniekeme Uwah said many people have been affected.
Uwah explained mentioned poverty, uncleaned environments, lack of access to clean water and poor access to health care are major risk factors of these diseases in the tropical region including Akwa Ibom state.
Dr Uwah, who is also the Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) regreted in spite of prevalence NTD in Akwa Ibom, it has not been reported in the media probably because they don’t kill as fast as other diseases like HIV, COVID-19 and the rest do.
“These are diseases that are commonly found in tropical and sub tropical parts of the world and they are closely associated with poverty, poor housing, poor access to portable water supply, poor access to healthcare delivery and they are not really reported.
“Apart from that they affect the World’s poorest, they don’t get the kind of attention they should get. But unfortunately these disease conditions are affecting our people. We have the high morbidity even though the mortality is relatively low but they make our people not to live optimally and fulfill their destinies. And very importantly is the fact that this set of diseases are endemic in Akwa Ibom.
“Most times we drive on the streets and see people with swollen legs or you go to the communities and see people with their swollen scrotum.
“The round worms make the children not to grow optimally and we all know that the brain of a child grows optimally within the first five years of the child’s life. So if there is a condition that affects the child’s nutrition because these worms stay in the stomach of the child, they suck the nutrients the child should get. So as the child is growing up, the child is not getting enough nourishment,” he stated.
Uwah said four council areas in the state, namely Udung Uko, Ibeno, Ikono and Ini are endemic to Onchcerciasis (River Blindness) with Blackfly as the vector, Soil Transmitted Helminthiasisis (Intestinal worms), Schistosomiasis or Snail Fever with water snail as vector and Lymphatic Filarisis or Elephantiasis which has mosquitoes as the vector.
He regretted that patients of these sicknesses could not received necessary attention because of their conditions hence intervention of the World Agency to ameliorate their health challenges.
He solicited partnership with the media, private sector and enterpreneurs to bail out the vulnerable from their conditions.
He said that 30th of January was set aside as World’s NTDs Day to create awareness on the Neglected Tropical Diseases to let people know and appreciate that these conditions still exist.
