The Nigerian government has revealed that approximately $19 million is required to effectively combat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the country.
Speaking during the second day of a high-level advocacy meeting with Commissioners for Health from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator for NTDs at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Fatai Oyediran, stressed that adequate funding is crucial for controlling and eradicating these diseases. “We developed our NTDs master plan in 2023 to run through 2027, and that is exactly what we need to effectively combat NTDs,” Oyediran said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes NTDs as a group of diseases caused by pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and parasites, which disproportionately affect impoverished communities in tropical regions. Nigeria, which accounts for 50% of Africa’s NTD burden and 25% globally, is among the hardest-hit nations. These diseases, including elephantiasis, river blindness, and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, impact over one billion people worldwide.
Oyediran pointed out that one of the main challenges in addressing NTDs is inadequate funding, a situation worsened by the absence of dedicated budget allocations in many states. “There are about 21 diseases grouped under NTDs; each of them has its own peculiarities. Adequate funding is essential to effectively implementing all the strategies for controlling NTDs,” he added.
Director of Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation at United to Combat NTDs, Stuart Halford supported Oyediran’s call for increased funding, emphasising that NTDs lead to significant economic and productivity losses.
Abia State’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Uche, shared positive developments, revealing that the state has made substantial progress in interrupting the transmission of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.
Similarly, Kwara State’s Health Commissioner, Amina El-Imam, called for renewed attention to NTDs to ensure their full eradication.
