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Nigeria: We Are More Than 160m - Health Minister
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Leadership (Abuja)
28 March 2008
Posted to the web 28 March 2008
Winifred Ogbebo
Abuja
Minister of Health, Dr. Mohammed Lawal, disclosed yesterday that Nigeria's population was more than 160 million which places, a high demand on the social amenities and infrastructure like pipe borne water giving rise to communicable diseases like Guinea worm.
He made this disclosure at a press briefing to flag-off the 2008 national Guinea Worm Day.
According to him, Guinea worm is a disease of the rural poor and exists where safe water supply is totally lacking or inadequate and where people use bad water for drinking and domestic use.
The director of public health in the health ministry, Dr. Ngozi Njephemen said that Nigeria has been on the journey for the past 20 years to eradicate the disease but has not been able to complete it whereas countries like Ethiopia has been able to eradicate it.
However, Dr. Lawal stated that there is a renewed effort and commitment by all partners, UNICEF, WHO, Yakubu Gowon Centre (YGC), the Carter centre (Global 200) and other stakeholders to interrupt Guinea worm disease transmission in Nigeria. March 20 of every year is the National Guinea Worm Eradication Day and is set aside annually to focus on the problems of Guinea worm disease, and advocate support and commitment to its eradication campaign towards accelerating the interruption of Guinea worm disease transmission in Nigeria.
At the end of 2007, a total of 73 cases were reported in four villages of three states in the country-Cross River, Ebonyi and Enugu. Six out of the 73 reported cases occurred in Ofura, Cross River State and remaining two cases occurred in Okwerike Agalegu, Ebonyi State.
With the present cases, Nigeria is 4th in the global eradication effort.
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The intervention measures implemented by NIGEP include, provision of safe water supply and rehabilitation of broken down sources and public awareness creation on Guinea Worm Disease and its eradication using electronic and print media.
The theme for this year's celebration is the "final sprint to interrupt Guinea Worm disease transmission by 2009." Nigeria will be hosting the 8th Regional Conference on Dracuncuhasis Eradication from April 2-4, 2008.
According to the health minister, the aim of the conference is to strenthen national capacity for programme management, intensify advocacy activities for improved social and resources mobilisation for the "Final Sprint to interrupt Guinea Worm Disease Transmission by 2009."
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