MOH inaugurates Advisory Committee on NTDs

PLATEAU State Ministry of Health has inaugurated the State Technical Advisory Committee (STACON) on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) to provide technical advice to Programme Managers and support the implementation of control, elimination and eradication of NTDs in the state.

This took place at the Conference Hall of Lamonde Hotel Jos, the Plateau State capital Thursday, where stakeholders from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), World Health Organisation (WHO), Christofel Blind Mission (CTM) and The Carter Centre (TCC) were in attendance.

The Committee which has Professor Dana’an, of the Department of Zoology, University of Jos as its Chairman, is to be deputized by the Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Primary Health Care Board (PSPHCB), Dr. Livinus Miapkwap and Director, Public Health of the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Bunan Mawfwalun respectively.

Others included, Professor Matilda Banwat, Consultant Public Physician, Professor Caleb Mpyet, of the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Jos, Professor Nuhu Dakum, Consultant on Morbidity Management and Disability Health Prevention (MMDP) of The Carter Centre (TCC), Representatives from the Ministry of Environment and that of Education in that order as members.

Also inaugurated as members were the representatives of Budget and Economic Planning, Ministry for Information and Communication, PLASCHEMA, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, of the Burki Beautiful Gate Foundation, Ministry of Health (DHPRS, DMS, DPS, DMLS and DNS), Director, Disease Control and Immunization, State Primary Health Care Board (SPHCB) Yakubu Izang,  State Epidemiologist, partners from TCC, WHO, Sighseavers, HANDS and CBM, as members, while the NTDs Coordinator, Mr. Philemon T. Dagwa, is to serve as Secretary of the committee respectively.

Inaugurating the Committee, the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Ninkong Lar Ndam, thanked Governor Simon Bako Lalong for the support given to the ministry to inaugurate this committee and commended partners who came to witness this most important event.

He disclosed that the Neglected Tropical Diseases numbering up to 20, adversely affect people in poor living condition mostly in tropical and subtropical areas where there is lack of environmental sanitation, lack of good housing and good portable water supply. He explained that “they are significantly responsible for health, social and economic burden in Nigeria.

“It is estimated that over 122 million persons are at risk of one or more of these NTDs in terms of direct costs, loss of productivity and in how socio–economic and education attainment. These NTDs have been confirmed to be endemic in Nigeria, where the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were affected”, Ndam highlighted.

SUNDAY STANDARD understands that some of these NTDs include: Lymphatic Filarasis (LP), Onchocerciasis, Schistosomiiasis, Soil Transmitted Helminths, Human African Trypanosomiasis, Guinea Worms Diseases, Tranchoma, Leishmamaniasis, Leprosy, Buruli-ulcer, Dengue fever, Rabies, Yaws, Snakebite Envenoming among others. 

There were presentations from the representatives of WHO, Dr. Mahdu Musa, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Abdullahi Zubairu, who intimated the Commissioner about the availability of snakebite drugs; Director, State Public Health, Dr. Bunan Mawfwalun, Christoffel Blind Mission (CBM) Dr. Ojo Victor Adekunle and the Representative of The Carter Centre (TCC), Bulus Mancha, who rounded up with an elaborate situation report of the programme.