LASG Commited To Treatment Of Neglected Diseases

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, has restated the government’s commitment to the treatment and elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases among its citizens.

Abayomi said this on Friday during a news briefing on Mass Administration of Medicine for the Control of Schistosomiasis in Lagos State.

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Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by a worm that enters the skin from infected water and lays hard or sharp eggs that damages body organs as they spread.

Schistosomiasis is spread through walking, washing, bathing, drinking or swimming in contaminated water.

The symptoms of schistosomiasis include; blood in urine or stool, swollen stomach, fever, loss of weight, headache, rashes or itchy skin.

Abayomi said that neglected diseases such as Schistosomiasis causes significant implications for the wellness and wellbeing of the society and the people.

He said that the state in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation (WHO) and Mission to Save the Helpless (MITOSATH), would administer medicine for the control of Schistosomiasis in the state.

To eliminate the disease, interventions in the general hygiene of the environment, nutritional status and strengthening public health systems at both the primary and secondary healthcare level would be deployed, he added.

Abayomi noted that past governments had paid little attention to neglected diseases, adding that the state would utilise its One Health Approach to improve citizens’ health and strengthen mechanisms that would eliminate neglected diseases in the state.

The commissioner said that the One Health initiative recognises that the health of the people was connected to quality of food and environment they live in to ensure wellbeing.