Burden of neglected diseases in Sokoto

The NTDs include Trachoma, a leading cause of preventable blindness; Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) otherwise known as elephantiasis; onchocerciasis or river blindness; Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH); and schistosomiasis (bilharzia),a type of infection caused by parasites that live in rivers or lakes.Many are noted to have the diseases but don’t know what to do.According to Bello Isa […]

The NTDs include Trachoma, a leading cause of preventable blindness; Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) otherwise known as elephantiasis; onchocerciasis or river blindness; Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH); and schistosomiasis (bilharzia),a type of infection caused by parasites that live in rivers or lakes.
Many are noted to have the diseases but don’t know what to do.
According to Bello Isa Sadiq of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Sokoto State, the NTDs are a group of tropical infections which are especially endemic in low income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas.
He added that in sub-Saharan Africa, the impact of these diseases as a group is comparable to malaria and tuberculosis.
“Some of the diseases have known preventive measures or acute medical treatment which are available in developed world but which are not universally available in poorer areas,” Sadiq stated at an enlightenment programme on NTDs organised by the Leprosy Mission of Nigeria, Sokoto project.
In Sokoto, Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH) is noted to be endemic in all 23 local government areas; schistosomiasis in 22 LGAs; trachoma in eight LGAs and onchocerciasis endemic  in 15 communities of Goronyo LGA.
In a Situational Analysis of NTDs in Sokoto, Assistant Programme Officer, NTDs Mohammed Idris, said the state had an initial burden of 36,665 cases of trachoma in the eight endemic local government areas of Rabah, Sabon Birni, Isa, Goronyo Gwadabawa, Kware, Tangaza and Ilela.
Idris, however said with the implementation of the Emergency Trachoma Control Programme funded by Unilever Plc from 2003-2008, and creation of the Sokoto Eye care Programme in 2005 as well as surgeries supported by the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, the state operated 28,031 persons leaving a backlog of 8,634 cases with the eye defect.
“However, even though 26,669 people had TT surgery thereby preventing them from becoming irreversibly  blind ,there is imperative need for collaboration with WHO and other partners  in order to assist the state clear its backlog and attain the global eradication of trachoma by 2020,” he stated.
On the other NTDs, Idris who recalled some actions taken over the years towards control of the diseases, however identified areas of possible partnership with WHO and other development partners.
On Lymphatic Filariasis, Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH) and Schistosomiasis, he said in 2011 when the state  NTDs Control Programme was established, they received attention from the network of different NGDOs including ITI – World Bank Agency, RTI, FMOH, Sightsavers, DFID, Evision and CDC among others.
It would be recalled that the Sokoto State NTDs was established in 2011 with support from Sightsavers as a result of global partnership to control the NTDs.
Idris said mass drug administration was started for control of active trachoma and LF (in all communities of endemic local government areas) schistosomiasis and STH (in all schools of endemic LGAs) since 2011.
“In order to control these diseases, WHO developed and approved approaches including Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in endemic communities/schools on house to house or school to school basis, community based trachoma surgeries, provision of portable water and environment improvement including provision of latrines among others,” he said.
He revealed that from 2011 to 2014, over five million were treated of trachoma while 666,269 were treated for schistosomiasis and over 300,000 for STH.
As a result, he said some endemic LGAs are already due for MDA impact assessment this year while others would be by 2016.
For schistosomiasis, he pointed out the need for sustainable MDA driven by community members supported by other development partners.
He also called for research to determine impact of the MDA.
For STH and LF, the health official stressed the imperative for stronger collaboration with other development partners in MDA.
On onchocerciasis, which is noted  to be endemic in 15 communities of Goronyo Local Government Area, Idris said since 1998, MDA is being administered and due for impact assessment this year.
He said impact assessment would determine headway.
Social Economic Development Programme Officer, Leprosy Mission Nigeria ,Sokoto Project, Stephen Okpanachi, said they are supporting Sokoto NTDs programme as there are gaps in the effort towards NTDs control in the state.
“There are lots of gaps, we want other bodies to support the state  NTDs,” he said
He added that the enlightenment programme was to create awareness on the NTDs which, he noted, have been neglected yet are eating deep into the society.
“They are so common yet special attention is not given to them,” he observed.