By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja
The Kogi State Ministry of Health, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Control Programme in collaboration with Sightsavers has concluded a 2-day planning meeting for the 2026 Mass Administration of Medicines (MAM), for Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH), and Onchocerciasis (ONCHO).
The meeting held on July 9 and 10 in Lokoja had in attendance Directors of Primary Health Care, Local Government NTD Coordinators and assistants from all the LGAs.
Mr Adewale Ayodeji of the Federal Ministry of Health said the FMoH is supporting state NTDs programmes to accelerate the elimination of NTDs through preventive chemotherapy, case management, disease surveillance and morbidity management.
He added that the Federal Government is strengthening health systems with technical assistance, capacity building, supportive supervision and improved monitoring to ensure efficient use of resources and better health outcomes.
The goal, he said, is to reduce the burden of NTDs and contribute to Universal Health Coverage and the SDGs.
Kogi State NTD Coordinator, Mr. Musa Momohjimoh, said the meeting was to prepare for preventive chemotherapy where about 550,000 children aged 5 to 14 years will receive Albendazole 400mg tablets in 10 endemic LGAs.
“This is a state-level planning meeting.
Six weeks ago we treated about 480,000 children in 15 LGAs. Now we are preparing for another round.
“The 10 LGAs for this round are Omala, Ankpa, Idah, Kogi, Lokoja, Mopa-Muro, Ijumu, Ajaokuta, Okehi and Ogori-Magongo,” he said.
Momohjimoh said LGAs will train health workers and Community Drug Distributors, CDDs, after the meeting, and expressed optimism that by the end of July, every eligible child in the targeted LGAs would be treated.
State NTD Data Manager, Mrs Betsy Ibenu, said the meeting aimed to develop strategies to meet 2026 targets, strengthen coordination and agree on monitoring mechanisms.
She explained that STH are parasitic worms that cause malnutrition and stunted growth, while ONCHO, or river blindness, is endemic in all 21 LGAs of Kogi.
She said the WHO recommends MAM using Albendazole and Mebendazole, targeting at least 75 per cent of school-age children.
Momohjimoh commended the Kogi State Government and Sightsavers for supporting the fight against NTDs and urged participants to cascade training to ensure children grow up healthy and free from preventable diseases.
Stakeholders identified challenges from the last MAM including absence of community registers, wrong dosing, poor documentation, data integrity issues, drug refusal due to fear of side effects, and limited capacity in digital tools.
Representatives of CAN and JNI reaffirmed their commitment to support the exercise across the LGAs. Source – NAN
(vitalnewsngr.com)
