Stakeholders have been urged to support Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Programs to help in reducing disease burden across the State . The programme officer Carter Center for Anambra State, Mrs Attamah Egeonu made the call during a Stakeholders Sensitization and Feedback on Pre – Transmission Assessment Survey Result , held in Awka.
Mrs Egeonu explained that certain parasitic diseases including lymphatic Filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis are currently receiving public Health attention in various Communities of Anambra State.
She requested traditional rulers, Presidents general and other stakeholders in the state to give their support and help to ensure that their people receive and take NTD drugs annually.
She appealed to State Government to include NTDs program in it’s Annual Budget as well as monitor what the CDDs are doing, adding that timely release of Counterpart Funding for the Program is equally important .
The programme officer also urged Education stakeholders in the state to provide accurate School Enrollment of all private and public primary Schools, especially in the nine Local Government Area that passed Pre Transmission Assessment Survey (TAS) as a prerequisite for the Forth-Coming TAS, noting that it is good for School Heads to ensure adequate and even distribution of NTDs drugs such as Albendazole, lvermetin, and Praziquantel to school pupils during treatment season.
The Anambra NTD Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Obikwelu highlighted the Basic Components of integrated Health Education advising that members of the eligible population should endeavor to take the NTD drugs annually as preventive measures against these parasitic disease, adding that people should try and cover themselves well while farming, and use long lasting insecticide treated nets while sleeping as vector control strategy.
The Director Public Health and Disease Control, Dr Uchechukwu Onyejimbe called on the Education sector at both State and Local Government Area level to assist in program implementation especially during school treatment.
Responding ,some of the NTD supporters including Igwe Pius Omachaonu of Orumbanasa, the HOD PRS and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Mrs. Grace Ginikanwa and a lecturer from Unizik ,Prof Dennis Aribodo, among others assured Carter Center of their unalloyed support to the success of the programme in their Communities.
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