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NTDs: Nigeria Battles To Meet 2030 Target, Invests $19 Million To Fight Trachoma
Out of the about 1.7 billion people affected globally by Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Nigeria contributes about 50 percent to its burden in Africa and 25 percent globally, the National Coordinator of NTDs in the Federal Ministry of Health, Fatai Oyediran, has said.
He also said the Federal Government is considering the use of drones for the distribution of drugs in the North East which had been gripped by banditry, kidnapping and other crimes as a measure to tackle the 21 NTDs in Nigeria.
Oyediran stated these in his presentation by the Programme Manager, Snakebite Envenoming, NTDs Division in the Ministry of Health, Adebayo Peters at the 6th edition of the global celebration of the NTDs Day declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) with a mandate to wipe it out in 2030.
With the theme, ‘Unite, Act and Eliminate NTDs as a Catalyst for Global Health and Sustainable Development’, the event brought together experts to strengthen the commitment to ending the communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Oyediran said, “Over 100 million (two of every three Nigerians) are infected by or at risk of one or more NTDs. It is expected that with investment of ($18,785,902) for five years, Nigeria will achieve elimination of blinding trachoma, (100 percent); 22 States endemic for Onchocerciasis will no longer need treatment.”
The Technical Assistant to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, SWAP Coordinating Office, Zaiyanatu Abubakar Umar, said ending the scourge of NTDs is a collective responsibility.
She said, “The Collaborative Action Strategy (CAS) is meant to shift ways of working amongst global, regional, and country level partners on key actions, roles, and coordinated approaches at country level. It is designed to add practical but transformative value to Nigeria’s existing health campaigns and health care efforts including dealing with Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).
“The strategy seeks to guide partners toward a future state where programs collaborate effectively with each other and with corresponding health services to maximize the impact of campaigns on health outcomes, and ultimately aims to catalyze stronger, more resilient country-led health systems in the long term.”
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, expressed optimism that the NTDs would be a thing of the past in Nigeria by 2030.
“The 2021–2030 WHO NTDs Roadmap provides ambitious targets and innovative approaches. Nigeria remains committed to its implementation, focusing on accountability, multi-sectoral integration, and political commitment to ensure sustainability. The fight against NTDs is crucial to achieving Universal Health Coverage, Sustainable Development Goal Three and eradicating poverty”, he said.
The Country Director of Helen Keller International and Chair, Governmental Development Organisations (NGDOs), Aliyu Mohammed, reaffirmed his organization’s commitment to deepen its support in helping Nigeria eliminate leprosy and other NTDs by 2030
He said, “We have been partnering with the government to tackle these issues, and we are stretching our collaboration to ensure we eliminate all phases of leprosy and other NTDs as part of the broader fight against national poverty.”
The UNICEF NTDs National Consultant, Hilary Adie highlighted the critical role of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in combating diseases including NTDs.
“Thank you to the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian government for providing a Clean Nigeria Campaign office to ensure communities become open-defecation-free.”
The Country Director CBM Global, Abdulazeez Musa, emphasized the need for sustainable funding, innovative solutions, and a commitment to equitable healthcare for all.
“To act now means recognizing that time is of the essence. Delayed action leads to lost lives, diminished livelihoods, and prolonged suffering”, Musa said
The National President of IDEA Nigeria, Peter Iorkighir, however, regretted that even though leprosy was curable, thousands of Nigerians remain untreated due to unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles.
He called for urgent measures to address the prolonged unavailability of life-saving Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) medications in Nigeria, an act he described as a “human rights violation.”
The Honourable Minister of State for the Federal Ministry of Works, Muhammad Bello Goronyo, has appointed Comrade Salihu Dandata Mahmud as his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.
The appointment, which takes effect from 1 May 2025, was announced on Thursday in a statement signed by the Minister’s Chief of Staff, Nafiu Hussaini Gobir.
“I am pleased to inform you of your appointment as Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Works,” the statement read, highlighting Mahmud’s “competence, experience, and commitment to media and public service” as the basis for his selection.
The statement read, “ will be responsible for managing and coordinating media relations for the Minister of State, developing and implementing publicity strategies, crafting official press statements and speeches, and liaising with media stakeholders to ensure accurate and positive coverage of the Ministry’s activities.
“You will also provide strategic advice on media and public engagement, aimed at boosting the Ministry’s visibility and public perception.
“Your appointment is tied to the tenure of the Honourable Minister of State and may be subject to termination at the discretion of the appointing authority.
“You are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, confidentiality, and integrity in line with the Public Service Rules of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The internal leadership dispute within Nigeria’s Labour Party has taken a dramatic turn. Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa has boldly stepped forward to proclaim himself the Acting National Chairman of the party. This declaration, made during a press conference in Abuja, comes in the wake of a crucial Supreme Court judgement, which Apapa believes reinforces his authority to lead.
On Wednesday, Apapa addressed the media, stating that a Supreme Court verdict delivered on April 4, 2025, under Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1217/2024 and Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024, has fundamentally changed the party’s leadership structure. He argued that the ruling invalidates all actions and leadership decisions taken by Barrister Julius Abure since April 2023.
Apapa didn’t mince words as he dissected the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision. According to him, the court firmly criticised the lower courts for meddling in matters beyond their jurisdiction, particularly issues related to the internal leadership of political parties. He claimed the apex court’s conclusion reinforced the long-standing principle that such matters are non-justiciable meaning they should not be decided by the judiciary.
Apapa interpreted this legal victory as a green light for his assumption of leadership. Referring to Article 14(2)(a)(b) of the Labour Party’s Constitution, he asserted that, as the most senior Deputy National Chairman, he has the constitutional right to take over as Acting National Chairman.
In his statement, Apapa also named Alhaji Farouk Umar Ibrahim as the Acting National Secretary, further solidifying the leadership changes within the party. He assured party members and the public that these appointments are in strict alignment with constitutional provisions and party regulations.
As part of this transition, Apapa revealed that the National Working Committee (NWC), reconstituted in 2022, will meet on Monday, April 14, 2025. This session will focus on outlining a fresh strategic direction for the party. One of the pivotal proposals includes the zoning of the National Chairmanship to the Northern region and the Secretary position to the Southern region.
Apapa emphasised that this new phase will prioritise genuine internal democracy. In what appears to be a direct critique of the previous leadership, he called for the immediate revival of the Board of Trustees (BoT), which he described as dormant for far too long. According to Apapa, reactivating the BoT is a vital step towards strengthening party governance and transparency.
Additionally, he announced a roadmap for conducting fresh congresses at every level from wards to the national tier. In an effort to uphold accountability, he clarified that only financial members will have the right to vote or be voted for in the forthcoming party elections.
On the same day as Apapa’s press conference, a rival faction aligned with the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, held a National Executive Council meeting.
Jubilation erupted among the Esther Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee on Wednesday, when Governor Alex Otti announced that they had officially received the Certified True Copy of last Friday’s Supreme Court judgment on the Labour Party’s leadership crisis.
While presenting the 48-page CTC before the Labour Party Stakeholders Engagement in Abuja, Otti emphasised that the document has put an end to the debate of misinterpretation of the verdict.
He said, “I want to say that we welcome the Supreme Court judgment of last Friday, which Certified True Copy just arrived a few minutes ago. The 48-page document was very clear in saying that it is all of you seated here that constitute the leadership of the party. I also want to make a point that we are law-abiding people.
“We sat on the 4th of September 2024 in Umuahia, where we unanimously elected a 29-man caretaker committee. Shortly after that exercise, our brothers, on the other side, went to court and got a judgment that pronounced them the leaders of the party.
“If we are not law-abiding, we would have started dragging the office. But we all said, since there was a court judgment, let us follow the process which ended last Friday.
“We expected that everybody who wants the survival of democracy and the progress of this country would have accepted that judgment. So you may not like the judgment, but you must obey it.”
In attendance were the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi; the lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Victor Umeh; the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku; and the National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Darlington Nwokocha.
Others include former LP chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo, members of the National Assembly, Abia State Assembly and chieftains of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, among others.
As Otti read out the excerpts of the document, the audience went into a rapturous applause.
He said, “The same issue submitted for determination is hereby jointly in favour of the appellants. And the appellants are Distinguished Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha. In summary, both the trial courts and the one below have no jurisdiction to entertain the first respondent, Julius Abure.
“Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial courts and the one below in recognising Julius Abure as the national chairman of the party is hereby set aside and struck out for want of jurisdiction. In the vein, the first respondent’s cross-appeal, being an offshoot of the same judgment of the courts below, is hereby dismissed.”
When he finished reading the CTC, the governor recalled how he tried to pacify Abure to step down and accept the role of the chairman of the LP Board of Trustees.
But Abure allegedly turned down the prospect, saying he wanted nothing.
“But I gave Abure some piece of advice, saying if I were you, I wouldn’t want to lead people who don’t want me as a leader. So we are still extending the olive branch to him and his former National Working Committee. The leadership of every party should be humble enough to leave at the expiration of their tenure.
“Before I am done, may I appeal to political parties and their members to endeavour to always allow their constitutions, regulations and rules to guide them in choosing their officers and candidates.
“That way, the incessant internal wrangling which always finds its way to court will be reduced. The leadership of every party should be humble enough to leave at the expiration of their tenure,” he said.
On his part, Obi applauded his supporters and Nigerians for being patient and standing solidly behind them.
The former Anambra governor announced that they would move straight to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission to update them about the presence of the CTC and have them replace Abure’s NWC.
He said, “As leaders and elected members of this great party, we are going to leave from here to INEC to submit this document (CTC) so that we can start the process.
“We will go there now and say, here are the documents from the court. This is our resolution. So can we now start the process of rebuilding with your cooperation.”