The Federal Ministry of Health has said it has been
able to put an end to Onchocerciasis otherwise known as River Blindness in
Plateau, Nasarawa and Kaduna States, adding that entomological studies are still
ongoing to clear Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo, and Bauchi States.
The ministry, in a statement issued by the Deputy
Director (Media and Public Relations), Mrs. Ogundoro Modupe, said report of the
National Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee (NOEC) indicated the interruption
of the disease in Plateau, Nasarawa and Kaduna States, while entomological
studies are ongoing to confirm the interruption in Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo, and
Bauchi States.
Quoting the Permanent Secretary in the ministry,
Mr. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi, the statement said the implication of this
achievement was that a total of about 4.2 million persons are no longer in need
of mass administration of medicines for onchocerciasis in the disease endemic
local government areas in Plateau, Nasarawa and Kaduna States.
"With these achievements, Plateau, Nasarawa
and Kaduna States have joined other countries like Columbia, Ecuador, Guatemala
and Mexico in the Americas and Awi Zone in Ethiopia in the interruption of
transmission of River blindness," the statement said.
The permanent secretary explained that nearly all states
have maintained a minimum of 65 per cent therapeutic coverage for the last seven
years, while overall treatment have risen from about 200,000 persons in 1991 to
over 70 million by 2018, including people living in conflict areas.
According to Abdullahi, results have also shown a
reduction of transmission of the disease in other states in the country.
He said the local government areas where
transmission of the disease is on-going are conducting a twice-a-year treatment
to fast-track the elimination of the disease.
Abdullahi said sustaining the momentum of the
elimination may become more challenging as the clinical manifestation of the
disease becomes increasingly rare.
He assured those involved that as the visual
impairment, blindness and severe itching become less and the fatigue of the
treatment sets in, innovative communication strategy is being employed to
ensure that high coverage is maintained until the disease is eliminated in the country.
Onchocerciasis is a parasitic disease caused by
small worms living in the body. It is transmitted by the bite of a black fly
which is the carrier of River blindness.
Manifestations of the disease include severe and
troublesome itching, hanging groin, thick and rough skin, and blindness.
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