The Federal Government has pledged continued support for efforts that will rid the country of neglected tropical diseases, one of which is onchocerciasis, otherwise known as river blindness.
The assurance was given by the National Coordinator, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Federal Ministry of Health, Prof. Fatai Oyediran on Wednesday at a two-week workshop held for entomologists drawn across the six geopolitical zones that would support the eradication of onchocerciasis in the country.
The national coordinator while addressing participants at the workshop organised by the Department of Zoology, Osun State University, Osogbo, said the diseases pose a serious obstacle to the national achievement of universal health coverage.
According to him, among all NTDs, Nigeria has the highest burden of onchocerciasis globally, adding that in the efforts to eradicate the disease, academics and researchers have been assisting the government in training programme officers.
He further said, “Onchocerciasis is transmitted through repeated bites of this infected black fly, and over 50 million Nigerians and about 40,000 communities in 32 states and FCT are at risk. Onchocerciasis remains the second-commonest cause of infective blindness after glaucoma. Nigeria has the highest burden of onchocerciasis in the world.
