The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Osun State Ministry of Health have been commended for their joint efforts in eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases in certain communities in the state.
In partnership with donor partners from the United States of America (NATCOM Donor), communities battling diseases were assisted with free drugs and other sanitation interventions to overcome outbreaks of tropical diseases.
Through the interventions of international organisations, community leaders, and members of Olode and Faji in Ife South and Odo-Otin Local Government Areas, respectively, testified that some drugs provided freely by UNICEF and US NATCOM Donors were effective, and that many of those struck with tropical diseases are now treated and doing fine.
According to them, the free drugs provided to cure and prevent neglected tropical diseases, including Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic filariasis, are Mectizan and Albendazole tablets, respectively.
Community stakeholders, while testifying to the effectiveness of the drugs at separate town hall meetings in the two communities, urged UNICEF and donor partners to continue assisting them in living a healthy life.
The delegation that attended the Town Hall Meeting for US NATCOM Donor’s visit to Faji community included UNICEF Country Representative, Miss Wafaa Saeed, the President and CEO, UNICEF, USA, Mr. Michael Nyenhuis, the General Manager, Osun State RUWESA, Mrs Ibidun Odelola, the Founder AMEN Healthcare Foundation, Chief Rita Oguntoyinbo and the traditional ruler of Faji, Oba Moshood Olawale, among other officials of the organisations.
The Osun State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA), organised the meetings with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
In their different testimonies, some residents of the communities recounted how the drugs cured the tropical diseases that they were having, thanking the organisations and state government for coming to their rescue.
The traditional ruler of Faji community, Oba Moshood Olawale, commended the various interventions of the Donor, which cut across borehole construction and the provision of Mectiza medicine.
He stated that the community has been declared open defecation-free due to the efforts of UNICEF and its partners.
In her remarks after joining other team members to tour some homes in the communities to assess their toilet facilities, the UNICEF Representative for Nigeria, Miss Wafaa Saeed, expressed excitement at the testimonies of residents and what the delegation observed, urging them to continue to maintain a sustainable hygiene system to prevent the resurgence of diseases across communities in Osun State.
Saeed explained that it is imperative to sustain proper hygiene through regular hand-washing at critical times and the use of improved toilet facilities.
“I have been encouraged because we have been in this community in Faji, a community that has first-hand managed to interrupt the transmission of Neglected Tropical Diseases like Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic filariasis.”
While lauding the collaboration between local government health workers and communities, Miss Saeed expressed the resolve of UNICEF to continue supporting the government to improve the well-being of women and children as well as the economy of the communities.
Corroborating her, the President and CEO, UNICEF, USA, Mr. Michael Nyenhuis, noted that the team is encouraged by the progress achieved in the state, and this would spur them to source more donors on behalf of the state and nation at large.
Nyenhuis explained, “It has been so exciting to be in these communities from the United States. We help to support this work by engaging the Donors who support the supply of medicines and also funding to make some of this work possible. It was great to actually see the success the communities have made in combating some of the Tropical Diseases.”
The General Manager of Osun State RUWESA, Mrs Ibidun Odelola, and the Founder of AMEN Healthcare Foundation, Chief Rita Oguntoyinbo, lauded Oba Moshood Olawale for his efforts in ensuring the community is open defecation-free.
