Nigeria On Track For
Guinea Worm Certification
The
Nigerian Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (NIGEP) has said that
Nigeria was on track to meet WHO certification on eradication of
the disease.
The optimism of NIGEP follows the fact that no report of a fresh
case has been recorded in the country in the last 12 months.
Mrs Ifeoma Anagbogu, Coordinator of NIGEP at the Federal
Ministry of Health, said in an interview, that Nigeria met the
target of reducing transmission of the disease before January
31st 2009, leading to her being declared guinea worm free, going
by WHO standards.
According to Anagbogu, ’’Before January 2009, Nigeria met the
target because we reported our last case in November 2008; we
beat the target, which puts Nigeria on the list for WHO
certification…The WHO certification does not only mean
interrupting the transmission and it does not automatically give
you the certification because certain criteria must be met.’’
What to do
She mentioned some of the criteria to be met before the
certification.
’’The criteria are maintaining the certification standard
surveillance nationwide, thereby reporting zero case for 36
months minimum and we have done 12 remaining 24,’’ she said.
Anagbogu said in addition, Nigeria has to ensure safe drinking
water in all the endemic villages and a functional national
certification committee. A functional national certification
committee was inaugurated in 2005.
Surveillance teams, who give us reports on a daily basis, are
also required, which must be up to 85 per cent and she has
surpassed that.
Coverage
’’We are also working with water providing agencies like UNICEF,
who have been supporting us with safe drinking water and the
ministry of Agricultural and water resources to ensure we meet
that target…NIGEP started off with 5,879 villages, in which over
620,000 cases were reported as at 1998.’’ Anagbogu said.
Due to the implementation of strategic programmes from 1998 up
until 2008 there has been tremendous reduction.
Anagbogu pointed out that as at 2008 only 38 cases were
reported in five villages in Enugu and Ebonyi states, and since
2009 there has been no reported case.
NAN/Yinka
