A public health expert and Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Health, Dr Ngozi Azodoh, has said the failure of the Federal Government to prioritise the total elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases has contributed significantly to their growing burden in Nigeria.
Dr Azodoh described Neglected Tropical Diseases, known as NTDs, as a major public health and socio economic challenge that thrives in conditions of poverty, poor sanitation, ignorance and underdevelopment, particularly in sub Saharan Africa.
Common NTDs in the region, she said, include: guinea worm disease, river blindness, leprosy, Buruli ulcer and hydrocele.
She spoke on Friday at the Abia State University Auditorium, Uturu, while delivering a lecture to mark this year’s World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, themed Unite, Act, Eliminate NTDs hosted by Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria, South-East zone in conjunction with Healthwise Community Initiative.
According to her, eliminating NTDs requires a total system response, stressing that authorities must adopt a new mindset and a different orientation towards public health interventions.
Dr Azodoh said the theme of the commemoration was a reminder of the need to sustain the fight against NTDs, noting that beyond what she described as federal government lip service, committed, concerted and consistent action was required to completely eliminate the diseases.
She acknowledged that many NTDs are easily treatable if detected early, but emphasised the need for collaboration and unity of purpose among government, faith based institutions, development partners, communities and individuals to achieve elimination.
The health expert criticised inadequate government funding, saying most interventions aimed at eradicating NTDs in Nigeria had been driven largely by donor agencies such as the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, with limited financial commitment from government.
She further lamented that more than 100 million Nigerians, about two out of every three people, are either infected with or at risk of contacting NTDs, attributing the situation to lack of access to safe drinking water, poor sanitation, poverty and weak health seeking behaviour.
Dr Azodoh identified the South East as a high risk zone due to poor living conditions, questioning the limited contribution of wealthy individuals in the region to complement the efforts of donor agencies which, she said, had done a great deal over the years.
She described NTDs as both a governance and development challenge, arguing that their elimination requires sustained public financing and coordinated multi sectoral action across health, education, water, sanitation and social protection systems.
While highlighting the importance of political leadership, she said Abia State has recorded progress under Governor Alex Otti through investments in primary health centres, which allow people affected by NTDs to access treatment within their communities.
Representing the governor at the event, Dr Azodoh urged the Federal Government to prioritise NTDs, stressing that leadership, education and access to health facilities are critical to addressing the threats posed by the diseases.
She also advised students to aspire to excellence and avoid activities that could distract them from their academic pursuits.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Prof Ndukwe Okeudo, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Prof Roseline Ndimele, said the theme of this year’s commemoration was timely, as it focused attention on diseases that continue to affect vulnerable populations.
He said the theme served as a call to collective responsibility, noting that defeating Neglected Tropical Diseases requires unity of purpose, deliberate action and sustained commitment from governments, institutions, health professionals and communities.
The Vice Chancellor said NTDs remain a major public health challenge in developing countries due to poverty, poor sanitation, limited access to clean water and inadequate health care services.
He expressed concern that despite affecting millions globally, the diseases have historically received less attention and fewer resources than required.
According to him, the gathering was an opportunity to change the narrative through knowledge, collaboration and decisive action, while commending the Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria and the Healthwise Community Initiative for their advocacy and community engagement.
He said universities play a critical role in solving societal challenges through research, innovation and community service, adding that Abia State University remains committed to training competent professionals, supporting impactful research and promoting community based health interventions.
The Vice Chancellor said eliminating NTDs is not only a medical challenge but also a social and developmental imperative, noting that healthy children perform better in school, protected communities are more productive and cycles of poverty are disrupted.
He urged students and young researchers to see the event as a call to action, encouraging them to develop new research ideas, partnerships and outreach initiatives, while calling on policy makers to sustain investment in health, sanitation and disease surveillance systems.
In their separate remarks, the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Prof Chris Timothy, and the Head of the Department of Public Health, Dr O C Okankmba, thanked the organisers for choosing the university for the advocacy, describing NTDs as threats that must be confronted collectively.
Also speaking, the South-East Coordinator of the Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria, Prof Nkeiruka Orji, said the theme was a call to collective action, stressing that NTDs are treatable and preventable.
She said communities in the region had shown commitment towards eliminating the diseases, urging increased investment in health education and sustained collaboration among stakeholders.
The Local Organising Chairman, Dr Victor Obisike, alongside Esther Udeme of the Healthwise Community Initiative, described the event as impactful and called for greater public participation in the fight against NTDs. They also appreciated the wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs Precilia Otti and Rector Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Engr. Christopher Okoro for their support in making the programme a success.
The event featured panel discussions, drama and quiz competitions, with participants, including students, pledging to support efforts to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases.
