The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Health has cried out over the prevalence of neglected tropical diseases in eleven local government areas of the state.
State Coordinator of World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) in the Ministry of Health and Public Relations Officer, Dr Aniekeme Uwa, said many people in the state are living with neglected tropical diseases.
Speaking on Monday in Uyo to intimate the public on World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day, Uwa who is also the National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), stated that NTD involved about 20 ailments, adding that the diseases are commonly found in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world.
He explained that they were closely associated with poverty, poor housing, poor access to potable water supply, poor access to healthcare delivery, but were underreported because they don’t kill as fast as other diseases like HIV, and COVID-19 among others.
