Organisations Partner to Tackle Endemic Neglected Diseases in Ekiti

Rebecca Ejifoma

The END Fund, a private philanthropic initiative has partnered IHS Nigeria, a leading telecom infrastructure service provider company, to tackle prevalent neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Ekiti state.

The END Fund, which is solely dedicated to ending the five most common NTDs, announced this at its recent multi-stakeholder webinar hosted under the aegis of its African NTD Leadership Initiative.

The planned donation from IHS Nigeria aims to enable END Fund to deliver thousands of treatments to those most affected by Onchocerciasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis.

This will help reduce the suffering, disability and poor health caused by these diseases, and significantly improve the quality of life of the recipients.

The Director of Public Affairs, END Fund, Oyetola Oduyemi said: “The END Fund is delighted to collaborate with IHS Nigeria in tackling these diseases that cause cognitive impairment, physical ailments, social isolation, and economic regression.”

Through the financial commitment of this partner, she emphasised, “we will make good strides in reducing the burden for these diseases in Ekiti”.

According to Oduyemi this is in support of the state government’s drive to enable a healthier populace, and also feeds into the national framework for supporting the sustainable progress of Nigeria, especially in the areas of health and economic advancement.

“Combating the NTDs is directly correlated to attainment of SDG 3 on good health and wellbeing while contributing to meeting other SDGs including SDGs 1 and 2 to alleviate poverty and hunger respectively, and SDG 4 – enabling people to pursue an education,” says the director.

The event was supported by many critical stakeholders who are committed to both building and expanding a sustainable and locally driven movement to end NTDs on the continent.

At the multi-stakeholder webinar, the Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria, Dapo Otunla said: “Today we are pleased to take this significant step in collaborating with the END Fund to tackle these debilitating diseases.

“Our robust programme in Ekiti state involves funding preventive treatment for endemic NTDs, supporting the effective deployment of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) measures, and working to end open defecation and its detrimental impact on the people of the state – including the contribution of this unhealthy practice to the state’s NTD burden.”

As a business, IHS Nigeria said it has invested in improving WASH practices across Nigeria in which thousands of households have been impacted.

He recalled: “Last year, the Vice President of Nigeria, through the Minister of Water Resources, awarded our Nigeria CEO, Mohamad Darwish, a WASH Ambassador status under the Clean Nigeria Campaign. We know that addressing NTDs is only a logical step in the right direction and this will enable our impact to go further.”

Citing the World Health Organisation, Otunla hinted that over 134 million Nigerians require treatment for one or more NTDs, with 48 million children and adults affected by intestinal worms, and 25 million people affected by schistosomiasis, adding, “In terms of impact this disease is the world’s second most devastating parasitic ailment after malaria”.

As noted at the webinar, Nigeria bears approximately 40 per cent of Africa’s NTD burden. Hence, the END Fund has been a key partner for the Nigerian national framework for tackling NTDs, and continues to support the country’s plans to eliminate endemic NTDs.

To achieve this goal, a multi-stakeholder engagement strategy is crucial, with the private sector playing a fundamental role. The partnership with IHS Nigeria is, therefore, supporting the safe delivery of life-changing treatments to affected communities in Ekiti state.