Regular Handwashing Eliminates Neglected Tropical Diseases

By: Prudence Okonna

Stakeholders in the Health sector have called for improvement in hygiene practices such as regular hand washing to eliminate some of the Neglected Tropical Diseases endemic in the FCT.

This is one of the submissions presented during a stakeholders’ feedback meeting on schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis impact assessment at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, in Abuja, Friday.

Other feedbacks presented during the impact assessment meeting included more sensitization on the dangers of open defecation, and the use of pipe-borne water to Improve Water Sanitation and Hygiene facilities in the communities across the Territory.

Speaking at the meeting, the Director, Public Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chukwuma Anyaike, said the essence of the impact assessment meeting is to ascertain whether the five rounds of treatment of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis using praziquantel and Albendazole/ Mebendazole respectively has been effective.

Anyaika, who was represented by the Director of the NTDs Unit, FMOH, Adebayo Peters, said there is a need for communities to own the activities and improve stakeholder collaboration as well as adequate provision of WASH facilities to augment the effectiveness of the Mass Administration of medicines.

He said that the debriefing meeting was necessary to ascertain whether the FCT’s Public Health Department has made progress, which would determine whether to continue treatment or stop it.

His words: “We are encouraging WASH facilities to be installed across communities, in schools, and offices to complement the Mass Administration of Medicines”.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) had recommended that after five rounds of treatment, which we have done in all the Area Councils, we must assess whether the treatment is effective or not,” Anyaika reiterated.

In her remarks, the Acting Director, Public Health Department, FCT, Dr. Doris John, appreciated the Federal Ministry of Health, and Area Council Coordinators, who have spearheaded the treatment and elimination drive of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis in the communities as well as other stakeholders in the Education and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, for their continuous efforts.

John also appreciated the partners, Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS) and Christophel Blindenmission (CBM) for their technical and financial support towards eliminating these NTDs.

Meanwhile, the Acting General Manager of FCT Water Board, Daniel Salka, said the Board would continue to support the elimination efforts of NTDs in the communities as critical stakeholders.

The GM, who was represented by a staff of the Board, Muhammed Shehu, noted that hygiene is impossible without high-quality water; adding that the Board is committed to providing the needed quality water across the six Area Councils to reach the 2030 elimination target by the World Health Organisation.

Abuja Digest reports that the major highlight of the debriefing meeting was the presentation of data to ascertain the impact assessment of the 2014 baseline survey conducted across the Six Area Councils of the FCT, where NTDs were discovered endemic in some of the Councils.

The data presented, revealed that the prevalence of Soil-transmitted helminthiasis had reduced, while more work needs to be done to reduce the burden of Schistosomiasis in the FCT.