US spends $100m on treatment of malaria, others in Nigeri

Mary Ann Peters. Credit: womenetics

Friday Olokor, Abuja

This year alone, the United States government has spent over $100m on the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Nigeria, the Director of USAID Mission in Nigeria, Michael Harvey, has said.

According to him, $6bn which was sourced from over 40 organisations has been spent on medications for the treatment of some diseases around the world, including Nigeria.

Among the diseases on which the $100m was spent are malaria, elephantiasis (a parasitic infection spread by some mosquitoes), river blindness (due to bites from infected black fly) and helminthiasis (caused by certain tiny worms).

Others are bilharzia, also caused by tiny worms found in dirty and stagnant water; as well as trachoma, a blinding disease.

He said that the fight against the different diseases‎ in Nigeria has so far achieved over 60 per cent success, alongside other innovative methods which have been initiated to fight the NTDs such as preventive medicines.

“The US government has committed $100m to fighting diseases in Nigeria in 2016 and so far, about 40 organisations, businesses ‎and partners all over the world have committed over $6bn on medications across the world,” Harvey stated.

The CEO/President of the Carter Centre, Ambassador Mary Ann Peters, in her speech, said Nigeria was selected out of the 14 countries because of its populous size in Africa and the fact that it is most affected by all the diseases.

“Nigeria is the most affected of all the NTDs, hence the choice of Carter Centre. In stemming the tide of the diseases, 42 per cent of drugs and medications has been distributed in Nigeria and the treatments were delivered in about 20,000 villages,” she stated.

Our correspondent reports that the Carter Centre championed the eradication of guinea worm in Nigeria towards the free certification from the diseases in 2013.

The organisation has pledged to continue its support towards the eradication of the NTDs and for which eight states have so far benefitted.