The Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Prof. Joseph Ahanaku has urged the Federal and state governments to sustain the eradication guinea worm disease and other tropical diseases bedeviling the country.
Ahanaku made the call at a public lecture in Awka, organized by institution’s department of Parasitology and Entomology.
The titled of the lecture is “Guinea Worm Eradication in Nigeria: lessons for researchers and policy makers’.
Ahaneku, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Ifeoma Anagbogu said that Nigeria had lost millions of naira to battle guinea worm scourge”.
He commended the declaration of the country guinea worm free by the WHO in 2013, while calling for the sustenance of the tempo.
Ahanaku observed that Nigeria was tagged a guinea worm zone with over 600, 000 cases recorded at that period, which according to him, was worrisome.
He said that 653,820 guinea worm disease cases were reported in Nigeria in 1988, labeling the country the most heavily infected and endemic country globally; pointing out that that by 1995 the cases of guinea worm cases had dropped to 13,000.
He described as regrettable the prevalent cases of leprosy in the country.
“A country that pride itself as the giant of Africa should not be talking about such related diseases in the 21st century. It is a sad development.
According to him, a huge sum of money is lost to handle guinea worm disease cases which have persisted in the country.
“The loss incurred as a result of the disease was unquantifiable as the period of its transmission mostly coincided with the farming season, resulting to reduction of farm produce.
“Each time people are down with the guinea worm, they can’t go to farm, while the children can’t go to school. Children were tended to or they helped to nurse parents who were infected.
“We recorded the highest cases of guinea worm in areas in Ebonyi state especially at Izzah and Ikwo communities to mention but a few, and you know the quantity of food stuff produced from the state.
Ahaneku however argued that Nigeria should not be associated with such neglected tropical diseases in view of the huge financial commitment and other modern logistics available in tackling the scourge.
Earlier, the minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the federal government had sustained work on the elimination and eradication of guinea worm.
“The Federal Government and donor agencies had assisted the ministry to effectively contain other endemic diseases such as Lassa fever, polio and measles,’’ he said.
Adewole, represented by the Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Prof. Anthony Igwebe, said the continued political will of government and donor agencies would help to permanently eliminate the diseases from Nigeria.
He commended the department and the institution for organizing the lecture, expressing optimism that the knowledge garnered would help to inform and educate Nigerians on how to live better lives.
