Experts Warn that 44m Nigerians are at Risk of Schistosomiasis

.Firm donates $5m drugs to fight disease

It has emerged that about 44 million Nigerians across 34 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are at risk and indeed need treatment from the Schistosomiasis disease.

The disease also known as bilharzia disclosed health experts, is caused by flatworms and spread through stagnant water, affects an estimated 249 million people around the world, 90 per cent of them in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Statistics shows that up to 200,000 people in Africa die each year from chronic inflection with the parasite which has been largely determined in Nigeria with exception of Borno and Adamawa States with security challenges.

This was disclosed recently in Abuja at the symbolic administration of praziquantel tablets to school children.

In her address, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Amina Shamaki said, Nigeria has the highest burden of Neglected Tropical Disease in Sub-Sahara in Africa.

According to her, “The high burden of worms in Nigeria is a matter of concern.”

Shamaki, represented by the Director of Public Health, FMOH, Dr. Bridget Okoeguale disclosed that the Endemicity of Schistosomiasis is prevalence in 34 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and shows that about 43,544,818 persons are at risk and in need of treatment with Praziquantel tablets.

She said: “The unacceptable high proportion of Nigerians who are at risk of Schistosomiasis is indeed a compelling call to action, to rapidly scale up mass administration of praziquantel tablets in a all the endemic schools and communities.”

In his earlier remarks, Chief Executive Officer, Merck, Mr. Stefan Oschmann, said, they expect that next year hopefully they will be reaching about two hundred million already and that it will be a major step in the elimination of schistosomiasis in every school child in Africa.

“They will to get access to this treatment.

This drug will get to the beneficiaries for free.”

Oschmann while handing over cartons of the drug to the Federal Ministry of Health and children at a local-education-authority school in Karmajiji, a slum neighbourhood of Abuja , said, “Nigeria is the largest beneficiary of the donation programme for this year and next year.

“The good news is that this disease can be treated effectively. Merck has decided to put as much PZT tablets for as long as it takes to eliminate this disease. We want to clear the barrier of affordability away by donating the tablets.

This drug will get to the beneficiaries for free and hope that every Nigeria’s child get access to this treatment.”

In her remarks, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Amina Shamaki said that Nigeria has the highest burden of Neglected Tropical Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. The high burden of worms in Nigeria is a matter of concern.

Responding, Head Teacher, L.E.A. Primary School, Karimajiji, Mrs. Emilia E. Etim, thanked Merck for its kind gesture.

According to her, it is on record that Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) are pandemic to this community and the children are mostly infested.