The Federal Ministry of Health has said that more than 45 million people across the 34 states of the federation are at the risk of being infected with schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzias. The disease would need to be treated with Praziquantel or PZT, a de-worming drug.
Speaking during a de-worming programme in Abuja, Dr Amina Shamaki, permanent secretary at the FMH said, “The unacceptable high proportion of Nigerians at the risk of schistosomiasis is a compelling call to action to rapidly scale up a mass administration of Praziquantel tablets in all endemic schools and communities.”
The above figure excludes Borno and Yobe states where security challenges have impaired survey, Dr. Bridget Okoeguale, Director of Public Health at the FMH, said on behalf of Shamaki.
It was gathered that a pharmaceutical firm, Merck, donated 35 million tablets of Praziquantel to help Nigerian health workers treat children infected with the parasitic disease.
Chief Executive Officer of Merck, Stefan Oschmann handed over cartons of the drug to the Federal Ministry of Health at a Local Education Authority (LEA) school in Karmajiji, a slum along the airport road, Abuja on Wednesday.
Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by flatworms and spread through stagnant water, affects an estimated 249 million people around the world, 90 per cent of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
Up to 200,000 people in Africa die from chronic infection with the parasite. The infection rate is higher among children, causing learning disabilities and anaemia.
“The good news is that this disease can be treated effectively. Merck has decided to provide PZT tablets to eliminate it. We want to clear the barrier of affordability,” Oschmann said.
The 35 million tablets, worth more than $5million donated to Nigeria, is part of 100 million tablets of PZT the firm is distributing free around the world this year. The firm hopes to donate 250 million annually.
“That will be a major step in eliminating this disease,” Oschmann added.
The firm has so far given out 290 million tablets of PZT, mostly to some 28 African countries.
