Ebonyi raises alarm over neglected tropical diseases in rural communities

2026-02-17 - 16:07

By Jeff Agbodo ABAKALIKI — The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, has decried the continued neglect of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminths in rural communities, warning that the conditions remain major barriers to education, productivity, and social inclusion. Ekuma said the diseases disproportionately affect the world’s most vulnerable populations, particularly those in underserved rural areas, where access to healthcare and preventive measures remains limited. The commissioner spoke while briefing journalists to mark the 2026 World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day in Ebonyi State. Activities to commemorate the day included a road walk and public awareness campaigns focused on prevention, early detection, and treatment. He explained that World NTD Day aims to raise global awareness about neglected tropical diseases and mobilise collective action toward their elimination. Ekuma assured residents that treatment drugs are available, safe, free, and effective at healthcare facilities across the state. He urged people to visit the nearest health centre if they notice symptoms such as limb swelling or persistent skin irritation. According to him, Nigeria has recorded significant progress in combating NTDs, including a 49 percent reduction in soil-transmitted helminth prevalence and a 75 percent reduction in schistosomiasis. “In Ebonyi State, our proximity to water bodies and agrarian lifestyle once made us a focal point for many of these conditions. However, through consistent mass administration of medicines, we are turning the tide,” he said. The commissioner highlighted key achievements by the state government, in collaboration with the The Carter Center and the Federal Ministry of Health. These include reaching over 1.5 million residents through school- and community-based deworming programmes, conducting hydrocele surgeries, and sinking boreholes in hotspot local government areas in partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources. He commended Governor Francis Nwifuru and his wife, Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, for their investment in the health sector, stressing that no Ebonyi resident should suffer from diseases that are preventable or treatable. Also speaking, the Programme Officer of The Carter Center for Enugu, Ebonyi, and Anambra states, Mrs. Attama Egeonu, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting the state until NTDs are eliminated. She noted that the non-profit organisation, founded by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, focuses on NTD control in Nigeria alongside other humanitarian programmes worldwide, and emphasised the need for sustained political will and active community participation.