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Addressing newsmen in Uyo, yesterday, to commemorate World NTD Day, the Coordinator of Neglected Tropical Diseases in the state’s Ministry of Health and Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Aniekeme Uwa, said NTD had infected many in the state.
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He said: “These are diseases that are commonly found in tropical and subtropical parts of the world and they are closely associated with poverty, poor housing, poor access to potable water supply, poor access to healthcare delivery and they are not really reported probably because they don’t kill as fast as other diseases like HIV, COVID-19 and the rest.
“There are different types. Some are endemic in all local government areas, some are endemic in about 11 while some are endemic in about four local government areas.”
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Uwa said four council areas in the state are endemic to Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) with blackfly as the vector; soil-transmitted Helminthiasisis (intestinal worms) prevalent in 31 council areas; Schistosomiasis or snail fever with water snail as vector and Lymphatic Filariasis or elephantiasis, which has mosquitoes as the vector.
“We also have some that cause rashes. And these are rashes that you treat and they just don’t heal and it also leads to blindness. Most of us have heard of river blindness spread by blackfly. So, these disease conditions are there in our state in about four councils.”
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He listed the most affected council areas as Ibeno, Ibiono Ibom and Ika.
He regretted that patients of these sicknesses don’t receive the necessary attention and solicited partnership with the media, private sector, and entrepreneurs to bail out the vulnerable.
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