122 million Nigerians at risk of tropical diseases

No fewer than 122 million people in Nigeria are at risk of getting Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

The director and national coordinator of Neglected Tropical Diseases at the federal ministry of health, Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, made the disclosure at a two-day media dialogue at Ibadan.

Dr Anyaike said the diseases are a group of 20 disease conditions that are common on tropical or subtropical regions and are closely associated with poverty, poor sanitation, lack of water sources, substandard housing condition and deficient health care access.

Some of the diseases include elephantiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, river blindness, trachoma among others.

He explained that NTDs has a great impact on economic growth and should duly be tackled in order to reduce poverty in the country.

Anyaike called for more funding to address the disease.