Writing By Teddy Daniel; Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
Kaduna State Government says it is intensifying efforts to scale up interventions aimed at eliminating the burden of lymphatic filariasis and other neglected tropical diseases across the state.
The Director of Public Health at the state Ministry of Health, Abubakar Sadiq stated this at a review meeting on morbidity management and disability prevention for lymphatic filariasis held in Zaria, Kaduna State where stakeholders assessed progress, identified gaps and mapped out strategies for improved service delivery.
“Neglected tropical diseases affect some of the most vulnerable members of our society. They cause disability, stigma and economic hardship and as a government, we cannot afford to ignore them. Through free hydrocele surgeries and comprehensive lymphedema management, we are restoring dignity and productivity to our people,” Dr. Abubakar said.
He disclosed that over two hundred hydrocele surgeries were conducted free of charge in public health facilities across the state last year in collaboration with Sightsavers, noting that the interventions have significantly reduced complications and improved healing outcomes.
“This review meeting gives us the opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved, identify the gaps and collectively design solutions. Our goal is not just to conduct surgeries, but to ensure quality outcomes and sustainable impact,” he added.
Dr. Abubakar explained that beyond surgical interventions, the state government has strengthened community engagement through mobile outreach services and emergency ambulance systems to ensure that residents in remote communities access care.
He emphasized that the administration has consistently allocated over fifteen percent of its budget to health, revitalized more than two hundred and fifty five primary health centres, renovated thirteen secondary facilities and recruited one thousand eight hundred health workers to bridge manpower gaps.
Also speaking, the State Neglected Tropical Diseases Coordinator, Hajiya Zainab Haruna, identified poor documentation of hydrocele surgeries conducted in private and tertiary facilities as a major challenge, stressing that accurate data reporting is critical to Kaduna State’s certification as free from lymphatic filariasis.
In her remark, Kaduna State Programme Officer with Sightsavers, Mrs Tabitha Kane, said nine surgeons were trained on modern hydrocelectomy techniques under the FASTT methodology, while health workers across the state were equipped to manage lymphedema cases.
“Partners cannot be here forever,we want the government to fully own this programme so that anyone identified with lymphedema or hydrocele can confidently walk into a health facility and access care as sustainability is the key to eliminating lymphatic filariasis in Kaduna State,” Mrs Kane said.
Radio Nigeria reports that in the meeting were trained surgeons, LGA coordinators overseeing NTD activities, decision makers within the Ministry of Health, representatives of the State Primary Health Care Board, nursing services, media practitioners, volunteers and officials from the Federal Ministry of Health guiding the programme from both the zonal office and the head office in Abuja, with about seventy persons in attendance.
