24 July 2007
Lagos — UNITED Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged the three tiers of government to show more commitment to its guinea worm eradication programme.
The fund's Project Officer on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Ms Bolu Onabolu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi.
She said the call had become imperative in view of the reported spread of the disease in some parts of the country.
Onabolu said it was the duty of states and local governments to augment the efforts of UNICEF and other stakeholders in the fight against the disease.
She said the provision of potable water to endemic communities should be the priority of the two governments.
The project officer said UNICEF had so far drilled 344 out of the 375 additional boreholes meant for endemic communities in the North West zone of the country this year.
She added that 75 boreholes were drilled in endemic communities in Kebbi last year, while 40 new ones would be drilled this year, "as deliberate efforts by UNICEF to check the menace in the state," Onabolu said.
The WASH officer was in Birnin Kebbi to attend the North West zone, Guinea Worm Planning meeting.
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