Stakeholders in Cross River State have called for stronger community participation and collaboration to accelerate efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affecting communities across the state.
The call was made at a one-day workshop organised in Calabar by Nigeria Health Watch, in partnership with the Cross River State Government, to address challenges limiting the effective control and elimination of NTDs, particularly onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness.
The workshop, held recently in Calabar, brought together officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Cross River State Ministry of Health, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NTD Unit, Carter Center, development partners, traditional institutions, local government and community health officers, civil society organisations and religious leaders.
The programme, currently at the pilot stage in Akamkpa, Etung and Boki Local Government Areas, focuses on communities considered vulnerable to the transmission of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis because of their forested terrain, fast-flowing rivers and proximity to the Cameroon border.
The Cross River State Coordinator of Nigeria Health Watch, Ms. Hannah Achu, said the organisation was collaborating with the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) on advocacy and communication efforts aimed at eliminating onchocerciasis in the state.
Achu said Cross River remained a major concern on the onchocerciasis map because of its extensive border communities, particularly those linked to areas in Cameroon where recrudescence of the disease had been reported. She expressed satisfaction with the quality of participation and deliberations at the workshop, saying the 21-point communique could provide a basis for further action.
State Coordinator of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Mr Godwin Omeji, said the engagement would strengthen sensitisation and community participation, particularly in addressing cultural practices that sometimes affect medicine distribution. He called for increased government funding to support interventions against NTDs in the state.
The Ekiem Clan Head, His Royal Highness Elder Malloy Erem, commended the organisers for what he described as a serious and sincere approach to tackling NTDs, saying the workshop had opened a new chapter for community involvement in disease elimination. Public health epidemiologist, Dr Ekpo Ofem, also said the engagement provided an opportunity for experts and communities to identify gaps, build synergies and develop practical solutions.
The workshop featured presentations and discussions on evidence from GLIDE and the KAPB baseline assessment, community knowledge of NTDs, integrated community engagement, gaps in primary healthcare and community health systems, as well as community perspectives on barriers and enablers to onchocerciasis elimination and quality primary healthcare.
Participants subsequently developed a 21-point communique outlining proposed actions and commitments towards strengthening community engagement and accelerating the elimination of NTDs in Cross River State.
By Iloke Egbe
