The Nasarawa State Government on Thursday said it intended
to treat about 720,000 school-age children in the state for Schistosomiasis and
Helminthes diseases.
The state Commissioner for Health, Ahmed Baba
Yahaya, disclosed this on the occasion of the World Neglected Tropical Diseases
(NTDs) celebration in Lafia, the state capital.
However, the commissioner stated that the state was
mindful of its neighbouring states, which were still struggling with these
diseases and at the risk of re-infecting the state through border local government
areas.
According to him, "Such states are Benue,
Kogi, Taraba, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Advocacy and
mobilisation will also be made to the border areas for observation of people
entering their communities for festivities, farming, fishing as well as the
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
"Medicine will be requested and sent to
Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) at the border communities for treatment of
such persons mentioned."
The commissioner further stated that with support
from the health ministry and Carter Centre, the state programme intended to
mobilise and train 45 Local Integrated Health team members; 225 health facility
staff, 611 community direct distributors, 42 school supervisors, 13 Social
Mobilisation Officers and 2,824 school teachers.
Yahaya disclosed that in 2019, the state programme
office with the support from Carter Centre trained 45 Local Integrated Health team
members, 225 health facility staff, 611 community direct distributors, 2,153 teachers,
42 school supervisors and seven social mobilisation officers.
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